Still in it: Lady Bulldogs’ sweep keeps them in race for playoffs

By Michael Adams

April 21, 2008 12:34 am

— The Navarro Lady Bulldogs are trying to make a late run for the Region XIV Tournament.
They are in a good position, winning their last six home games, including a doubleheader sweep of Paris Sunday at Cummings Field.
The Navarro offense was on display in the first game that lasted two and a half hours.
The Lady Bulldogs picked up a 12-4 win in a six inning 8-run-rule first game thanks to 17 hits from seven batters.
Chelsea Hall and Pam Hurst each went 4-for-4 while Whitney Fox went 3-4 with two runs, a double, a home run and four RBIs.
Navarro (11-13 Region XIV) earned 10 of its 12 runs and got started in the first inning.
After falling behind 1-0, Hall bunted her way to first base.
Cassie Marquez drove a single to left field and moved Hall to third base. Ayme Patrick then hit a RBI-single to center field.
Marquez and Patrick crossed home plate after a pair of Lady Dragons errors to give Navarro a 3-1 lead.
The Lady Bulldogs added to their lead in the second with four runs while batting through the order.
Carrie Coker started things off reaching first base on an error.
After a ground out by Roni Jo Raney, April Petrino hit an RBI-single to right field followed by another hit by Hall.
Fox then drove in both Coker and Petrino with a single to right field and then Marquez drove in Hall with a sacrifice to center field.
Patrick got her second RBI of the game with her second hit, to put Navarro up 7-1 at the end of two innings.
The Lady Bulldogs gave up two runs in the top of the third, but answered back with two runs of their own in the bottom of the inning.
Graham walked Coker to start the inning and then Petrino drove her in on her second hit. With runners on second and third, Fox hit a double to the center field wall to plate both Hall and Petrino and put Navarro up 9-3 at the end of three innings.
Paris added another run in the top of the fourth and then held Navarro scoreless in the bottom of the inning.
But the Lady Bulldogs weren’t done with their offense.
Hall started things with a single before being drove in by a 230 foot home run by Fox over the center field wall that put the Lady Bulldogs one run away from ending the game.
That run came in the bottom of the sixth inning on a sacrifice by Raney.
“They picked each other up and answered back every time they needed too,” coach Jessica Karenke said. “Our pitching staff worked great and they got the hits when they needed too.”
In the second game, Navarro looked to be in control taking a 4-1 lead after the first inning.
Lindsey Cunningham hit a three-RBI triple and Marquez drove in Petrino.
Paris answered back in the top of the third inning with three runs before Karenke pulled pitcher Hillary Gillen for Petrino.
Navarro cushioned its lead with an RBI-double by Petrino in the fourth inning to plate pinch-runner Casen Coker.
Paris broke up the save attempt by Petrino in the top of the sixth inning to tie the game at six.
But Navarro answered back in the bottom of the sixth with three runs, including two RBIs by Hall and Marquez.
The Lady Bulldogs defense stepped up in the top of the seventh inning after having seven errors for the game and sealed the 8-6 win on sophomore day.

Game 1
Navarro 12, Paris 4
Paris 1 0 2 1 0 0 — 4 9 1
Navarro 3 4 2 0 2 1 — 12 17 3

WP: Morgan Jones
LP: Kalee Graham
Leading hitters: N: April Petrino 2-4 2R, 2 RBI; Chelsea Hall 4-4 3R; Whitney Fox 3-4 2R, 2B, HR, 4 RBl; Cassie Marquez 1-2 1R, RBI; Amye Patrick 2-4, 1R, 2 RBI; Pam Hurst 4-4 1R; Carrie Coker 0-0 2R; Ronnie Jo Raney 0-1 RBI.

Game 2
Navarro 8, Paris 6
Paris 1 0 2 0 1 2 0 – 6 11 1
Navarro 4 0 0 1 0 3 x — 8 8 7

WP: April Petrino
LP: Emilie Hobbs
Leading hitters: April Petrino 3-3 2R, 2B, RBI; Chelsea Hall 1-3 RBI; Whitney Fox 0-2 1R; Cassie Marquez 1-4 1R, 2 RBI; Ayme Patrick 1-2 1R; Lindsey Cunningham 2-2 2R, 3 RBI; Roni Jo Raney 1-3 1R.
Records: Navarro 11-13 Region XIV

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