Red Sox defeat Stars, finish season with 11-1 record, Cruisers place second

Published 12:00 am Wednesday, June 21, 2000

With only one loss during the season, the Red Sox continued to play hard and earned a season finale victory over the Stars, 7-4, on their way to clinching the Junior Girls League title.

The Stars were unable to score a victory during the season.

The Red Sox earned an early lead when Stephanie Townes reached base on a fielder's choice. A ground ball allowed her to move to second base and an error sent her to third. The Sox took a 1-0 lead when Jessica Hyatt drove in Townes with a base hit.

Email newsletter signup

Both teams were held scoreless through the second inning.

In the third, the Sox added to their lead as Whitney Mixon reached base on an error. Jessica Thomas followed with another hit. Hyatt came through once again with a hit to score Mixon and Thomas scored when Hope Gibson lined a base hit to make the score 3-0.

But, the Stars were able to get back in the game in the top of the fourth as Danielle Mitchell and Tomeka Savage came around to score, cutting the lead to 3-2.

The Stars held the Red Sox in the bottom of the fourth, but were unable to get anything going for themselves in the top of the fifth.

The Red Sox pulled away from the Stars in the bottom of the fifth. Jade Hill led off the inning by reaching on a base hit. Townes followed by belting a triple that scored Hill. Mixon followed with a walk to put runners at first and second. With one out, Dontoya Williams smacked a homer to put the Red Sox on top 7-2.

But, the Stars continued to fight and Stephanie Lee led off the top of the sixth inning by reaching on an error. Shea Hartman followed with a triple that allowed Lee to score. Danielle Mitchell earned an RBI when she hit a groundball that allowed Hartman to score, cutting the lead to 7-4. The Stars were unable to get another baserunner on and their chance for a victory came to an end.

Cruisers 14, Mustangs 2

The Cruisers finished the season in second place. Their last victory came against the Mustangs, 14-2.

The Cruisers shut down the Mustangs in the top of the first inning and then took the lead. Tabitha Gafford and Brianne Black led off the inning with consecutive singles. With one out, the Mustang defense gave up back-to-back errors to Lakyn Newton and Crystal Parmer that gave them a 2-0 lead. After a walk to Erica Lee loaded the bases, a fielder's choice gave Heather Norris an RBI and Parmer scored on an infield hit by Heather Corbin. The Cruisers finished the inning with a 4-0

lead.

Both teams were held scoreless in the second inning.

In the bottom of the third inning, the Mustangs got on the board. Vanessa Haynes led off the inning by reaching on an error. Meghan Dowd followed with the same result. With runners at second and third, Niki White came through with an infied hit to score Haynes. Dowd also scored in the inning to cut the lead to 4-2.

Both teams turned up the defense through the fourth inning.

The Cruisers managed to increase their lead in the top of the fifth as Amanda Loftin scored on a single by Gafford to make the score 5-2.

But, it was the top of the sixth that hurt the Mustangs as the Cruisers scored nine runs in the inning. The first hit of the inning was a homerun off the bat of Wyatt. Newton and Parmer followed with consecutive singles. An infield hit by Norris loaded the bases for Corbin who lined a hit for an RBI. Crystal Brice drove in two runs with a single and Renee Hickman added another run with an infield single. Amanda Lofton followed with a hit and with two out in the inning the bases were cleared when Black blasted a two-run triple. Black completed the scoring when she scored on a single by Wyatt. After the dust had cleared the Cruisers were joyriding with a 14-2 lead.

It proved to be plenty as the Mustangs were unable to score again in the bottom of the sixth.