Piedmont, AL – On the day that everyone went 3-1, Arnold led White Plains to victory by a tiebreaker of the smallest runs allowed. Piedmont bounced back to win the championship beating Etowah, White Plains
Piedmont Invitational
Saturday
Results/schedule
White Plains 8 Munford 4
Munford 4, Etowah 2
Etowah 5, White Plains 2
Handley 5, Piedmont 2
Munford 6. Piedmont 5
Handley 8 Munford 6
White Plains 1, Handley 1
Piedmont 9, Etowah 5
Piedmont 3 White Plains 0
Etowah 4, Handley 2
— White Plains wins the tournament through tiebreaker.
By Joe Medley
If the softball team of Piedmont will experience the warm weather of May in Choccolocco Park for the third time in the span of three years it is possible that the Bulldogs could point to a cold and cold evening in March the catalyst. Piedmont recovered from a disappointed loss against Munford in the weekend to take two straight by beating Etowah 9-5 as well as White Plains 3-0 to finish at 2-2 at the Piedmont Invitational. Both victories were a result of the Bulldogs had a lead of 5-1 diminish in Munford’s last bat. In the fourth inning, the Lions recorded five run in the fourth inning’s final inning and then went on to win the time-limit contest, 6-5. Two errors helped spark Munford’s winning rally. Piedmont made five errors during the game.
Piedmont (9-5) had to wait two games in order to play Etowah. Bulldogs head coach offered them something to consider during the break. “I have just informed them that should they decide to compete for an award, then we’re going to be required to play when the pressure is high,” Piedmont coach Rachel Smith stated. “We’re going to need to play the standard plays when we’re under pressure and we’ll need to make some amazing plays when we’re under pressure. “That’s the way great players and teams are doing.”
Piedmont’s next match in the Etowah game did not get off to a good beginning. They Blue Devils reeled off four runs in their first bat however Piedmont was 2-4-4 in the third, second and the fourth innings. Smith as well as Emma Grace Todd had two doubles each against Etowah and Sarah Goss went 2-for-3 with four RBIs. The Bulldogs scored nine runs unanswered to 12 in their 3-1 win against White Plains. “We went through that break as well. Coach Smith just told everybody”Hey you guys, we’ve got to come back and perform more defensively and offensively and I think we’ve done that,” said second baseman/pitcher Savannah Smith, who pitched the complete shutout in the game against White Plains. Savannah Smith pitched a three batter that threw four strikes. Abby Baird provided the majority of the offense for White Plains, hitting a two-run single after singles by Cacey as well as Cayla Brothers at the fourth inning’s bottom.
Piedmont’s 2-3 record in its tournament came just a day after Bulldogs took home White Plains’ Lady Wildcat Classic at Oxford Lake. “I’m happy,” Savannah Smith said. “I’d take our defense to the test against anyone. We’ve got a great defense. It’s wonderful to pitch with the defense that we have.” White Plains (8-5) also came away 2-2 in the Piedmont Invitational winning over Munford 8-4, then losing to Etowah 5-1 winning over Handley by 1-0, and then falling to Piedmont. All five teams went with a 2-2 record on the day and the Wildcats were the winners of the tournament in a tiebreaker and gave up the smallest number of run (12). The Wildcats returned to winning after losing 3-3 in their own tournament earlier in the week, and then did the same, winning the tournament in Piedmont. [read more…]
