Charles Henderson softball team routs Northview, 13-0, prepares for sectional tournament

By KEVIN PEARCEY

Sports Editor

Charles Henderson’s softball team recorded one run per hit in a Tuesday afternoon contest against visiting Northview High School, downing the Lady Cougars 13-0 in five innings.

The win upped the Lady Trojans record to 28-13 for the season.

CHHS pounded out 13 hits for the contest, nine in the first inning. The Lady Trojans led 9-0 after one.

According to Charles Henderson head coach Steve Haug, his team needed an outing like Tuesday’s

as they head into this weekend’s Class 5A Section 2 Tournament to be held at the Troy Sportsplex.

"We told our players no mercy," said Haug. "Go out there and hit the ball. We’re getting ready for Friday and Saturday. I mean, I’m sorry for Northview. I like the kids and I like the team, but we have to get ready for this weekend. And they (Northview) understand that also. We didn’t run them anymore then we had to."

Andrea Ellis had two RBI singles in the Lady Trojans’ first at-bat. Laura Wesley, Ashton Spann and Brittany Carlisle each had run-scoring basehits and Chelsea Howard’s three RBI triple highlighted the order as 15 batters came up to hit against Northview in the opening inning alone.

Charles Henderson added an additional four runs in the second. Howard doubled in a runner as did Rachel Spurlin and Allie Park with singles. Clair Goodson scored Spann from third on a force RBI.

Spurlin pitched the complete five innings, surrendering one hit in 16 batters faced. Her ERA now stands at 0.74 with a win-loss record of 12-5, both team bests. She also struck out seven and walked one.

Howard’s two hits in four at-bats accounted for four Charles Henderson runs. Ellis was 2-for-4 with two RBIs to her credit. Spurlin and Carlisle were 2-for-3 with an RBI each. Goodson, Samantha Johnson, Wesley, and Park also had hits for the Lady Trojans.

The Lady Trojans won two games during last weekend’s Troy Round Robin, falling to Wetumpka for their only loss. The Lady Indians defeated CHHS, 6-1, but Haug said several key players were out for that game, including Howard and Johnson.

Also, in the second inning, Park and Natalie Patterson collided with each other in the outfield. Park was transported to the hospital that day, while Patterson sat out Tuesday’s game against Northview.

Haug figures Wetumpka to be his team’s main competition in the tournament this weekend. The Lady Indians held CHHS to just three hits, with two of those coming off the bat of Spurlin.

Charles Henderson defeated Goshen 14-0 and fellow sectional foe Stanhope-Elmore 10-0 in its other two games. Carlisle (7-6) pitched a one-hitter against the Lady Mustangs and her teammates collected 11 hits off Stanhope pitching. Wesley was 3-for-4 with Ellis going 2-for-4 and driving in three runs. Spurlin scored two runners with single hit.

Park hurled a no-hitter against Goshen as CHHS scored seven runs in the third inning to break the game open. Wesley had four RBIs off one hit and Ellis had three RBIs off two hits.