Lady Tigers winning despite injuries
By Staff
Staff Reports, Hartselle Enquirer
The 2005 Hartselle Lady Tiger softball team has had more than its share of injuries.
With the area tournament a little more than a week away, the Lady Tigers have lost four starters for the season.
Hartselle has lost Jessica Barbrey, Mary Curtis, Rachel Fleischman and Whitley Collins to various wounds. Barbery has an injured joint in her hip, while Curtis tore a meniscus tendon in her knee, Fleischman suffered a concussion and is dealing with optical migraines as a result.
Collins has exercised induced asthma and suffered a severe attack last week that left teammates and coaches shaken.
Despite the obstacles, head coach Shane Alexander said his team's spirit is high and his players remain optimistic.
"This is the best group of girls attitude wise I've ever been around," Alexander said.
"They just don't let things get them down."
The Lady Tigers won two of five games in the Spain Park tournament over the weekend before whipping Cullman on Monday night.
Hartselle 3, Mortimer Jordan 1
Lindsay Robinson started a three-run rally in the second inning with a walk. Ashley Womack followed with a double for Hartselle's first run.
Womack came home on Mary Curtis' single. Curtis would score on a sacrifice fly by Haley Miller. Womack would add a second base hit later in the contest.
Sarah Whitlow, Catie Keel and Breanna Segars had one hit each.
Hartselle 2, Shades Valley 0
Whitlow scored both Hartselle runs.
She led off the game with a double and moved to third on an error. She came home on a Shanice Johnson groundout.
Whitlow would score again in the third inning when she reached on an error and came home on Johnson's double. Keel, Kayla Orr and Kristy Pevahouse had one hit each.
Hartselle 7, Cullman 3
The Lady Tigers scored three runs in the first inning. Whitlow reached on a fielders' choice, followed by Johnson with a single.
Both runners came home on Orr's single.
Orr would score on an error. Hartselle added two runs in the fourth and two more in the sixth to put the game away.
Whitlow finished with two hits, including a double and scored twice, while Johnson scored runs as well.
Orr had three hits and three RBIs, while scoring one run. Keel had one hit, while Miller had three singles and scored once.
Elizabeth Stejskal walked and scored one run.
The Lady Tigers close their regular season April 29 when they host Austin. They begin area tournament play May 5 at Athens High School.