STJ-TPS SOFTBALL: Trojans pull away from Wildcats in key area win
Trinity shortstop Evan Knight gets to the bag late with the tag on St. James Lily Stanford in the Trojans’ win. (Tim Gayle)
By TIM GAYLE
It was a good gauge, Trinity coach Stan Milton figured, to find out just where his inexperienced Wildcats were at.
When St. James ace Emily Needham entered the circle for the first time in the fifth inning, Milton had his answer.
The Trojans were clinging to a 4-2 lead when Needham came on in relief of starter Peyton Middleton and the St. James sophomore held the Wildcats to one hit over the final three innings in a 10-2 area victory at Trinity on Tuesday afternoon.
“I wanted to see what we would do against their best,” Milton said. “Peyton pitched really well while she was in and we didn’t do some things at the plate that we needed to against her, but I was glad they all got to see Needham and got to see where they’re at and what they need to work on for the next time.”
St. James (19-1) improved to 3-0 in 3A Area 6 play, while Trinity (5-5) suffered its first loss and fell to 1-1. The Trojans travel to Brew Tech on Thursday, while the Wildcats will remain home and play Alabama Christian in another Area 6 matchup.
St. James broke a scoreless tie in the second inning with a pair of runs but Trinity countered with two runs in the third inning to tie the game. Kate Knight and Evan Knight singled and later scored on a two-run single by Micaiah Shelton that made it 2-2.
That was as close as Trinity would get as the Trojans added two runs in the fourth, four in the sixth and two in the seventh to remain undefeated in area play.
I think we came out a little flat,” St. James coach Mark Hall said. “We had a big area win (on Monday) night against ACA and came into this game a little flat. But I give Trinity credit. It was two different style pitchers (Monday and Tuesday), good in their own way, but we did make the adjustment.”
Madi Milton pitched the first 5.1 innings and left in the sixth inning, charged with eight runs on 10 hits and seven walks. Marley Sharpless pitched the remaining 1.2 innings, allowing two runs on three hits.
For St. James, Middleton allowed two runs on four hits over the first four innings while striking out five. Needham allowed just one hit and struck out six in the final three innings.
“We made some plays, but we didn’t make enough plays in the field and we didn’t do what we needed to do at the plate,” Milton said. “I thought the girls battled against (Needham), we just didn’t make the plays to move runners over and get runners in when we had the opportunity.”
Emory Harris and Milton also recorded hits for the Wildcats.
Ava Stanford went 2 for 5 with a triple, scored a run and had two RBIs to lead the Trojans. Kaitlin Hudson went 1 for 4 with a triple, a run scored and an RBI, Sydney Johnston went 1 for 2 with two runs scored and two RBIs, Tat Shuford went 1 for 5 with an RBI, Emily Darby went 2 for 3 and drove in three runs, Mary Olive Maddox went 2 for 5 and scored twice, Arden Green went 2 for 3 and scored a run and Lily Stanford went 2 for 3, scored twice and drove in a run.