Maggie-nificent
- Updated: March 19, 2019
Alexandria pitcher Maggie Phillips’ no-hitter with 17 strikeouts highlights Tuesday’s softball games involving teams in and around Calhoun County
Tuesday’s games
Alexandria 6, Etowah 0
Oxford 14, Southside 7
Oxford 5, Fort Payne 1
Pleasant Valley 17, Weaver 0
By East Alabama Sports Today
Maggie Phillips pitched her best game of the season Tuesday night, but said she didn’t do it on her own.
Phillips pitched a seven-inning no-hitter with 17 strikeouts as Alexandria blanked Etowah 6-0 in its area opener.
She threw 79 pitches, 60 for strikes. The only thing that stood between her and a perfect game was hitting the second batter she faced in the game. She struck out seven in a row after that batter and later fanned the last nine batters she faced.
She may have gotten a complete-game victory, but she credited all the players around her with the save.
“I thought I did pretty well and I’m really proud of my team that we finally stepped up at the plate and started adding runs so I felt relieved on the mound that I didn’t have to completely shut them down,” Phillips said. “It was really good for us getting our first area win. Now it gives us the confidence that we need to beat them again Thursday.”
The Lady Cubs scored three runs in the second and fifth innings. Phillips had a two-run single in the second inning and Abby Bowers had a two-run single in the fifth.
Six runs and 10 hits may have made it easier for Phillips to pitch, but her defense kept the gem alive.
Her sister Ashley, on her birthday, came out of nowhere to make a diving catch on a ball right over Maggie’s head for the last out of the third inning. Second baseman Jordan Beason made a nice play on a grounder in the fourth and third baseman Addie Jennings made a nice running catch of a pop up on the next batter.
“I felt really good, but even if they put it in play like they did a few times I knew my defense had my back,” Phillips said.
Phillips pitched a one-hitter with 14 strikeouts against Pell City earlier this year.
Alexandria 6, Etowah 0
Etowah 000 000 0 – 0 0 1
Alexandria 030 030 x – 6 10 0
WP: Maggie Phillips. LP: Sidney Simpson. 2B: Kodie Williams (A), Addie Jennings (A), Jordan Beason (A), Lanie Dreyer (A).
Oxford 5, Fort Payne 1: Tia Titi’s three-run double highlighted a five-run first inning that sent Oxford on its way to victory. The Lady Jackets pushed across two runs before the blast on RBI singles by Riley Rhodes and Takya Garrett. Emily Thrasher struck out 11 and gave up five hits in seven innings to get the win.
Oxford 14, Southside 7: Emily Sparks went 4-for-4 with four RBIs and Bailey Clark hit a grand slam in the third inning that put the Lady Jackets ahead for good. Clark’s slam snapped a 5-5 tie and highlighted a six-run inning.
Emily Thrasher went 2-for-3 with three RBIs and Ametria Wilson went 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Sarah Howell also had two hits. Emily Thrasher pitched 3 1/3 innings of one-hit relief with eight strikeouts to save the victory for starter Cohlee Boone.
Oxford 5, Fort Payne 1
Fort Payne 000 001 0 – 1 5 1
Oxford 500 000 x – 5 8 1
WP: Emily Thrasher. LP: Addison Eason. 2B: Addison Eason (F), Taylor Camp (F), Tia Titi (O). 3B: Sarah Howell (O).
Oxford 14, Southside 7
Southside 041 200 0 – 7 10 0
Oxford 036 014 x – 14 14 2
WP: Cohlee Boone. LP: Alexis Rennhack. S: Emily Thrasher. 2B: Sydney Yancey (S), Macie Herren (S), Eilee Sparks (O), Emily Thrasher (O). HR: Bailey Clark (O).
Pleasant Valley 17, Weaver 0: The Lady Raiders (11-4) did a lot of damage in three innings at Weaver, pounding out 14 hits while improving to 3-0 in area play.
Lindsey Pritchett went 3-for-4 to lead the attack. Savannah Williams had a pair of doubles. Cortney Williams had two hits and three RBIs. Ava Boozer and Chandler Dorsett both went 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Krystal Brown drove in a pair of runs and Bailey Harris hit a two-run homer.
Meanwhile, in the circle, Leah Patterson and Madison Borders did not give up a hit.
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