Sports Writer

Senior pitcher Lyndsay Mann fired a complete game one-hitter as the St. James Lady Trojans shutout the Charles Henderson High School Lady Trojans 2-0 in fast pitch softball action at the Troy SportsPlex late Thursday afternoon.

Mann used a devastating fastball along with tremendous rise ball while changing locations at the same time to confuse CHHS hitters all afternoon long recording the shutout for St. James (13-12).

The hurler from the Capitol City was awesome in her control as Mann walked just two batters while striking out 10 batters in the contest. Mann

only faced three batters over the minimum allowing only two runners to get past second base throughout the game – both in the same inning.

Freshman pitcher Brittany Carlisle was the loser for the Lady Trojans dropping to 6-5 overall. Carlisle gave up only two runs while scattering eight hits as she struck out one batter without giving up a walk. Carlisle forced St. James batters to hit into 11 ground ball outs.

St. James scored the only run it needed in the top of the first. After Lauren Sheffield reached on a single, she advanced to second on a ground out and went to third on a sacrifice fly to center field by Mann. One batter later, Mibbie Majors hit a ground ball just under third baseman’s Andrea Ellis’s glove for an RBI single bringing in Sheffield to give the Lady Trojans from Montgomery a 1-0 lead.

Mann started out strong striking out the first seven batters she faced through three innings allowing only one base runner on a walk to Kelly Miller. Meanwhile, Carlisle got some great defensive help behind her including a sensational diving catch by sophomore first baseman Rachel Spurlin in the top of the second.

The Lady Trojans had their only real threat of the game in bottom of the fourth. After Emily Watkins led off on a walk, Laura Wesley laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt advancing the runner to second. One batter later, Miller lined a sharp single to right field. However, St. James right fielder Kylie Harmon recovered quickly to make a perfect throw to home plate holding Watkins at third. Following a stolen base by Miller, the Lady Trojans had two runners in scoring position with one out. However, Mann rallied strong by forcing Spurlin to pop out and Amanda Floyd bounced out to the pitcher ending the threat. It would prove to be costly as the Lady Trojans (14-11) were unable to get a base runner on for the rest of the evening.

In the top of the sixth, the defense kept the faint hopes of CHHS alive with the bases loaded and one out when Watkins caught a short fly ball in center field and fired a perfect relay throw to Wesley at home plate to gun down Mann trying to score from third for a inning ending double play.

However, St. James added a critical insurance run in the top of the seventh when Danielle Cross scored on a error.

CHHS Junior Varsity Update: Meanwhile, the Charles Henderson junior varsity squad improved to 5-9 on the season with an impressive 8-3 win over St. James in the first game.

The Lady Trojans got all of the runs it needed in the top of the first scoring four runs with the key blow coming on a two RBI single by Bailey Samples driving in Ashton Spann and Samantha Johnson. Samples and Claire Goodson also came to score capping the inning for CHHS. Samples and Allie Park each drove in two runs in the winning effort.

Park was the winning pitcher going five innings allowing one run on three hits while walking one and striking out three batters. Autumn Welch came in to pitch the final two innings for CHHS.

The Lady Trojans return to action this Tuesday

when they begin a three-game homestand next week hosting Dothan High School. The first pitch is set for 4 p.m.