Eufaula defeats CHHS, 1-0

Published 9:55 pm Monday, April 5, 2010

It was a pitchers’ duel Monday at the Troy Sportsplex when Charles Henderson and Eufaula clashed in area play.

In the end, it was the Tigers who topped the Trojans 1-0.

India Kornegay pitched a complete game for EHS, giving up just six hits while striking out nine.

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“The last time we faced her we had 23 strikeouts, and today we had just nine, so that’s a lot better,” said CHHS head coach Chad Lapp.

Charles Henderson’s Melissa Kennedy gave up fewer hits with just three hits allowed, but gave up the game’s only earned run.

That run came in the third inning, when Eufaula had a double and a single back-to-back to take the 1-0 lead.

Charles Henderson had a chance to tie the game in the sixth, when Taylor Smartt was standing on second with two outs.

Courtney Wood singled to left field to advance Smartt, but Smartt was thrown out at home trying to tie the game.

“I told Taylor when she was standing on second that if the ball was hit into the outfield that she needed to score,” Lapp said. “Their catcher tried to block the plate, but Taylor got her hand under and beat the throw home, but the umpire just called her out.”

Kornegay went on to finish the game and pick up the win her second over CHHS this season.

Becca Hartley and Madison Mehaffey each had a single and a double to lead CHHS, while Smartt and Wood added a single each.

Lapp said after the game the timing of the Trojans’ six hits just wasn’t what it needed to be.

“One of our girls summed it up best when she said that we’re just not putting our hits together,” Lapp said. “We have hits, but we just can’t seem to string them back-to-back.”

Despite the tough loss, Lapp said the Trojan defense did more than its share of the work.

“Our defense has really gotten to the point where we can play with anyone,” Lapp said. “We had a play where our shortstop laid out for a ball near the left field line, and caught it. That’s the kind of players these girls are becoming.”

That defense was especially tough this past weekend when the Trojans participated in the Andalusia tournament.

CHHS played six games over the weekend, and went 3-3 in those games. The Trojans defeated Straughn twice by the score of 9-1 and 5-1, lost to Andalusia 4-1, fell to Pleasant Home 9-2, beat Florala 9-5 and lost to Wetumpka 7-2.

After playing seven games in four days, Lapp said the Trojans are starting to show an attitude defensively that has not been present in the past.

“Just their effort level and their attitude has been outstanding,” Lapp said. “They have an attitude that if you hit the ball, they’re going to get you out. They’re not afraid of anyone hitting the ball. They’re athletic, they cover the field well, and they’ve got people on the left side of the field that have a whole lot of arm strength.”