FHS 10, Northside 0 : Fayetteville battles field in easy win over FS Northside
Posted on Friday, March 28, 2008
URL: http://www.nwanews.com/nwat/Sports/63585/
FORT SMITH — Fayetteville’s softball team had a harder time dealing with topography here at Andrews Field than with Fort Smith Northside’s lineup.
Battling bumps, divots, uneven foul lines and gusty winds from right field, Fayetteville (11-0, 5-0 7 A-West ) managed to take advantage of 9 walks at the 87-year-old ballpark, and all but one batter in the Lady Bulldogs’ lineup scored Thursday in a 10-0 win over the Lady Grizzlies.
“ You can’t give Fayetteville gifts like that, ” Northside coach Scott Thompson said. “ You can’t give them one, let alone nine [walks ]. ”
Northside (4-6, 1-2 ) was quieted at the plate by Fayetteville ace Amanda Summerford, who pitched all five innings of the run-rule win and came close to recording her second no-hitter and perfect game of the year. A well-hit ball to third base by Cassie Peer ended the opportunity with two outs remaining in the final inning.
“ It was a bad pitch, in a bad spot. They put the bat on the ball, ” Fayetteville head coach Jason Shirey said. “ Jessika Booher did a good job of putting a hand on the ball, but she just couldn’t make the play.... The most important thing is we came here and took care of business, despite the circumstances. ”
Five consecutive walks by pitcher Candace Culver allowed Fayetteville to get on the board early in the second inning, and three runs scored off wild pitches. Sophomore Katie Petrino and Booher were the only batters that knocked in RBIs before Morgan Keller wrapped things up with a two-run double to end the inning with an 8-0 advantage.
Other than the secondinning run surge, the game provided more worries than plays. Andrews Field once provided games featuring Jay “ Dizzy” Dean and Mickey Mantle, but the aged minor league ballpark featured more stumbles and timidness by the 7 A-West squads Thursday than top-notch action on the diamond.
The field was an eyesore and provided dangers for infielders. Fayetteville first baseman Katie Davison stumbled in a divot and fell while going for a flyball near her own dugout.
The foul line near third base resembled a hill and a valley, and wind pushed back long bombs and carried at least three fair-worthy balls into foul territory when the Lady Bulldogs mustered contact at the plate.
“ We had some balls hit well, but with the way the wind was blowing, nothing was going to leave here, ” Shirey said.
Northside’s pitching settled down in the middle innings and Culver struck out two in third frame to quell Fayetteville’s scoring. She gave up six hits in the loss. Summerford (8-0 ) struck out nine of the 16 batters she faced.
Whitlee McGill scored the Lady Bulldogs’ final run on a sacrifice fly by Booher in the top of the fifth.
Fayetteville will travel to Conway to play in the Conway Invitational today and Saturday. The Lady Dogs are scheduled to play the winner of the opening-round game between Benton and Beebe. The Lady Bulldogs ’ first tournament game is set for 7: 30 p. m.