Colonels win short-handed

APPOMATTOX — Runs, of any kind, are precious commodities when the Dogwood District’s softball elites square off.
Friday’s game between Altavista and Appomattox was a perfect example as the Colonels pulled out a 1-0 win on an unearned run in the second inning.
It was the second time the Raiders (2-2, 1-2 Dogwood) were on the losing end of a shut out and were beaten by an unearned run after William Campbell’s Amber Marstin stymied Appomattox for a 1-0 victory earlier this season.
“I’m not trying to knock the Seminole District but we didn’t see this kind of pitching last year,” Raiders coach Gary Ferguson said. “The Dogwood has good pitching.”
Colonels coach Tim Fenn echoed that sentiment.
“There are four top-notch pitchers in the Dogwood,” Fenn said. “It’s going to come down pitching, defense and executing the short game.”
Altavista’s Brooke Short was dominating in picking up her fourth win of the season.
Short (4-2) allowed just five base runners in seven innings of work. Four reached via singles and the fifth reached on an error.
She struck out 10 batters for the Colonels (4-2, 2-1 Dogwood).
“(Brooke) throws really hard and hits her spots, but now this team has the confidence to get the job done defensively,” Fenn said. “We made great plays all around.”
Appomattox had three golden opportunities to score.
The Raiders’ lead-off batter singled to start the first, fifth and sixth innings only to be stranded at third base all three times.
“She’s tough,” Ferguson said of Short. “We’ve talked about that for the last few days and she lived up to the billing.”
Haley Lawson (2-2) took the loss but was just as dominant as Short.
Lawson went all seven innings allowed three hits, no walks and struck out seven.
Altavista scored the game’s only run on back-to-back errors to lead off the second. Amanda Sandridge reached on an error by first baseman Tara McFadden. Sandridge stole second base and scored when third baseman Jessica Lawson skipped a throw across the diamond past McFadden and into right field.
Lawson battled back to strike out the next three batters, but the damage was done.
“We just couldn’t get that timely hit,” Ferguson said.
Appomattox committed four errors in the game and Altavista made several key defensive plays including a terrific running catch by Sandridge.
Sandridge ran down a ball in the in the gap to right-center and slammed into right fielder Megan Thurman just after hauling in the ball. The grab kept the leadoff batter in the fourth inning off the bases.
“I pitched two whole games this week and didn’t think I was at my strongest but my defense had my back the whole game,” Short said.
“Coming off a tough 1-0 loss to William Campbell, this was a big game for us.”
Short, Courtney Davis and Dana Robertson each had a single for the Colonels.
Lawson and McFadden each had a single and Annie Terry was 2-for-3 with a stolen base for the Raiders.