March 23, 2009

NORTHEAST SOFTBALL FINDS MID-WEEK RHYTHM

BOONEVILLE, Miss. – Northeast Mississippi Community College’s softball team has had its fill of its respective sport during the college’s Spring Break.

Northeast took the field on four of five weekdays during Spring Break (March 16-20) before hosting a 20-game high school tournament to Saturday, March 21 at Booneville City Park.

In total, Northeast’s softball team had a hand in 28 games during a six-day stretch over Spring Break.

Northeast (6-14, 3-5 in North Division) found its rhythm during the middle part of the week.

The Lady Tigers strung together a North Division win against Northwest Mississippi Community College coupled with a sweep of Three Rivers (Mo.) Community College for a three-game win streak during the week.

The sweep of Three Rivers also marked a first for the Lady Tiger softball team this season – the first time Northeast has swept a series during the 2009 campaign.

Northeast let a pair of games slip away on Monday when Southwest Tennessee scored five runs in the top of the sixth – four unearned – in staking claim to a 9-6 series-opening win. Northeast had a chance to earn the split with the Salukis but could not come through with the timely hit with runners in scoring position falling 4-3.

Northwest eked out a 2-1 win in its opener against the Northeast before the Lady Tigers finally came alive on offense.

Amy Blakeney carried the load in the division win for the Lady Tigers when the Nashville, Tenn.-native went the distance in game two allowing only two runs on six hits and contributed with a double at the plate herself.

Northeast used the momentum from the Northwest win in sweeping Three Rivers.

Northeast battled back from a 3-0 deficit with a five-run fifth inning in the 6-3 win. The Lady Tigers completed the sweep when Tishomingo County-product Emily Barnes connected on a Chelsea Claypole offering for a two-run homer in the fifth inning of game two.

Northeast found tough times on Friday, March 20 in Muscle Shoals, Ala. The Lady Tigers fell twice to Northwest Shoals (Ala.) by the score of 3-2 in both games.

Northeast’s job was not finished when it walked off the field Friday. The Lady Tigers helped host the 13-team, 20-game Northeast Mississippi Community College Annual Exposure Softball Tournament on Saturday, March 21 at Booneville City Park.

During the tournament, Central (Ala.) High School stayed perfect on the year after sliding by Bartlett (Tenn.) and Southaven in shutouts and dropping high school-host Booneville 5-2.

Northeast’s softball team returns to the diamond on Wednesday when the Lady Tigers travel to Clarksdale to take on Coahoma Community College in a North Division doubleheader at 1 p.m.

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