Rosewood rallies past Spring Creek in Carolina 1-A softball

By Gabe Whisnant
Published in Sports on March 23, 2005 2:28 PM

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Rosewood's softball team erased a 3-0 deficit, scoring eight runs in innings four-through-six in an 8-4 win at home over Spring Creek on Tuesday.

The win improved the Eagles to 2-5 overall as they won their first Class 1-A Carolina Conference game in three outings. The Gators dropped to 0-3 in league play.

"We've been really struggling with our confidence, and I think enthusiasm was the difference in us playing today," Rosewood coach Jennifer Cochran said. "We didn't have any enthusiasm yesterday when we lost to Ayden-Grifton. We're young, but this team is willing to learn."

Rosewood got two hits and stranded five base runners in the first three innings against Spring Creek junior right-hander Lorenda Brogden. The lead-off runner reached base each of the first three innings, but Brogden picked up big outs to keep the Eagles off of the scoreboard.

Helped by three Spring Creek errors in the fourth, Rosewood pulled within one in the bottom of the fourth after a two-out, two-RBI single to right by Jessica Price.

The Eagles offense didn't need any help one inning later.

Kasey Grey started the fifth with a single to center as the Eagles went on to smack five more singles before the end of the inning. Starting and winning pitcher Chandra Meadows posted an RBI hit as did Abigail Barrow.

Sara Poole, who posted three hits and scored twice, scored in the fifth on a wild pitch, while Barrow raced home on a passed ball.

Aubrey Reinhard capped the three-inning outburst with a two-run double that one-hopped the centerfield fence, scoring Grey and Poole.

Brogden finished with two walks and four strikeouts in seven innings of work.

"I think my pitcher might have been getting tired and letting up on her fastball," Spring Creek coach Sonny Kilpatrick said. "After going through the lineup a couple of times, they were adjusting. We were adjusting to their pitcher, but then they changed and put another one out there. That's good coaching.

"We made a few errors, but as long as I can see improvement ... I've got an awful lot of ninth graders. I'm looking for great things out of this team next year and the years to come."

Meadows tossed two scoreless innings, before Brogden helped her cause with a two-RBI triple to left-center with one in the third. Lindsey Benton drove home Brogden with a fielder's choice ground out to third to push the score to 3-0.

Brogden drew a walk to start the sixth, stole second and third, then scored the Gators' final run on another fielder's choice.

Meadows had s solid fourth and fifth, striking out three and retiring six straight. Cochran brought in Reinhard in relief after Meadows issued two walks as the senior righty picked up the final four outs to secure the win, yielding no base runners.

"This is the second game in two days that they have pitched," Cochran said. "We've kind of split them up and one do half and the other half. They started hitting their spots, and that was huge."

Poole, Stephanie Rhodes and Grey each had multiple-hit games. Brittani Billups added two hits and scored once for the Gators.

Weather permitting, both team's have road, non-conference contests today. Spring Creek travels to face South Lenoir, while the Eagles take on Hobbton in Newton Grove.