By Staff
Charles Prince , Hartselle Enquirer
MONTGOMERY – For a brief moment, the Danville Lady Hawks softball team was flying high, winning the opening game of the 2004 AHSAA softball tournament. Then suddenly, the flight ended as the Lady Hawks dropped their next two games, eliminating them from the tourney. Danville ended the season with a 42-18 record.
Danville 9, T.R. Miller 2
Danville started quickly by scoring in the top of the first inning. Kristy Roberts walked and stole second base, she then came home on a single by Emily Templeton.
The Lady Hawks struck again in the top of the third. Bethany Evans singled to lead off the inning followed by a bunt single by Roberts giving Danville two base runners. Tonya Howard then ripped a RBI double down the right field line for a 3-0 Danville lead. Howard then stole third and came home on a groundout by Templeton. Pitcher Katie James then hit her first home run of the season to left-center field for a five-run Danville lead.
James threw four shutout innings of one-hit ball before T.R. Miller would get on the scoreboard. In the bottom of the fifth inning, Miller scored an unearned run with the aid of two Danville errors.
The Lady Hawks would respond with four runs in the top of the sixth. Charleston Wilson opened the inning with a ground-rule double that bounced over the left field fence.
Kristen Sparkman then walked followed by Evans reaching on an error to load the bases. Roberts then tripled to right-center knocking in three runs. Roberts would then score on a passed ball.
James would allow one run in the sixth to make the final 9-2. James improved to 20-9 with the four-hit five-strikeout performance.
Danville head coach Tonya Sparkman praised her pitcher.
"Katie pitched like that all season," Sparkman said. "We expect her to do this well each time she takes the mound."
James called her home run the biggest thrill of her season so far.
Springville 4,Danville 2
Danville lost their first game of the tournament when the Lady Hawk defense committed four errors that lead to Springville runs.
James took the loss and slipped to 20-10. Casey Sparkman and Roberts scored Danville runs while Emily Templeton had a RBI.
Ardmore 3, Danville 2
The Lady Hawks season ended when Ardmore pushed a run across in the bottom of the ninth inning.
Katie James threw all nine innings and finished the season at 20-11.