Published: May 14, 2008 03:30 pm            

Alto Lady Jackets take 1-0 series lead

By Don Wallace

sports@jacksonvilleprogress.com

MINEOLA — This win proved the determination of the Lady Jackets.

Alto took a hard-fought 2-1 win over the Lady Eagles of Detroit Tuesday in the first game of a best-of-three Region III Class A quarterfinal series.

As impressive as the win was the gritty way Alto recorded the victory, on the road away from their home field. The Lady Jackets had their share of lopsided wins during the year as they cruised through district undefeated, again. But Tuesday they proved they could gut it out and take a win with two runs they scratched across.

Neither team pounded the ball but Alto’s pitching ace Heaven Liles fanned five batters in the game. Detroit hurler Neily Whittle was tough on the Alto hitters as she also threw six shutout innings.

“We were nervous at the start of the game, we could not get comfortable and we made some errors,” Alto head softball coach Sharon Reid admitted. “We settled down and played better in the middle innings, but it was still a tough game. I knew we would have to play hard to beat Detroit. They have a very good team.”

All the scoring for the game happened in the fourth inning. Detroit got two runners on base due to fielding miscues by Alto. Catcher Megan Jones followed with a single to center field, Taylor Eddings was tagged out at the plate. With runners at second and third, Stevie Furra belted a sacrifice fly to center field which plated Bri Williams to give the Lady Eagles a 1-0 lead. Liles worked out of the jam, getting the next hitter to fly out to left field.

Alto’s runs came in the bottom of the fourth. With one out, Lexi Sessions singled. She took second on a wild pitch. Abbey Scott had a marathon at-bat fouling off at least 12 pitches before being retired. With two outs, Lacey Huddleston got a hit to score Sessions and tie the game. Holley Huddleston knocked in her sister with a double to left field which gave Alto a 2-1 lead it would not relinquish.

Alto took a 1-0 lead in the series. The second game will be played at Mineola Friday at 6:30 p.m. A third game, if needed, would follow at the same location.

        

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