MERIDIAN —
It's not about how you start, it's about how you finish. Clarkdale High School's softball team proved that statement true, as the Bulldogs rallied from a 5-0 deficit to pound the Southeast Lauderdale High School Tigers 16-6.
The Tigers got off to a fast start, jumping on the Bulldogs early and often as Brianna Roulier laced an RBI single to plate the first two runs for the Tigers. Southeast scored one more in the inning before Taylor Powell stepped up to the plate and knocked in a two-run single of her own. After the top of first, the Tigers led 5-0.
“I just told the girls, they got theirs and we will get ours,” Clarkdale assistant coach Britt Bennett said. “You just have to play the whole game out and you'll be fine.”
The Bulldogs stormed back in the bottom of the first, as leadoff batter Lauren Thrash smacked a solo home run to left-center to give Clarkdale its first run. Shana Elmore followed with a blast of her own to make the score 5-2. Three batters later, Kristen Mitchell found herself up with two runners on and one out, as she lifted a two-run double to cut the lead to 5-4. Two batters later, Alex Riser laced an RBI single, and just like that Southeast's lead was gone before they knew it.
“We didn't make the plays defensively,” Southeast head coach Mack Fanning said. “That put them in a great opportunity to win the game.”
Southeast added another run in the top of the second to take the lead again 6-5. However, just as before, Clarkdale was quick to answer back. After a groundout to start the inning, Southeast decided to intentionally walk Trash. Elmore made the Tigers pay in the next at-bat, as she powered an RBI double off the wall in left. The Bulldogs then took advantage of Tiger errors as they rallied for two more runs in the inning to take the lead 8-6 after two innings.
“We just caught fire,” Bennett said. “We just kept hitting. We rode the momentum, and every time they hit, we answered back.”
The Bulldogs held the Tigers at six for the remainder of the game, while they continued to pile on the runs en route to the mercy-rule victory in six innings.
Elmore led the Bulldogs, going 4-for-4 with three home runs on the day. Heather Harwell, Molly McLeod and and Riser all tallied three hits for the Bulldogs as well.
“It felt good,” Elmore said of her performance on the night. “I have been practicing and I feel like it is paying off.”
The win improves Clarkdale to 8-6 with the win, while Southeast fell to 11-5 with the loss.
“I think we did a great job tonight,” Elmore said. “We are finally coming together as a team. We are just playing great now.”
Sports
Bulldogs finish strong against rival Tigers
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