E.A. Sports Today

Oxford softball sweeps two

Sophomore’s spectacular catches give Lady Yellow Jackets chance to win in extra innings

By Brant Locklier
For East Alabama Sports Today

OXFORD — Sophomore Chloe Stone came off the bench to make two game-saving diving catches Friday that gave Oxford every chance to beat Clay-Chalkville 3-2 in extra-innings in the Oxford Spring String at Oxford Lake.

The Yellow Jackets then beat Oneonta 2-0 as Rylee Waldrep completely baffled the opposition with 13 strikeouts.

Stone had not seen much playing time this year with the Lady Yellow Jackets (10-3-1) being off to a hot start, but when her number was called in the fifth inning of the Clay-Chalkville game, she delivered.

The game was tied at 2-2 when she saved a run with great catch in the fifth inning, and then made a spectacular catch in the seventh inning to keep the game tied.

“I was just trying to catch and help my team win the game,” Stone said.

Her catches set the stage for Kendra Larkin’s heroics. Larkin slapped a base hit to drive in the winning run in the bottom of the seventh. Larkin and Sara Howell had RBI singles in the first to give Oxford a 2-0 lead. Larkin was 2-for-3 at the plate.

A dropped fly ball cost the Jackets two unearned runs in the fourth and tied the game 2-2.

Waldrep completely shut down Oneonta in the second game, allowing only four hits and walking none to go with her 13 strikeouts.

Larkin pounded out two more hits in the game; she and Haley Liner drove in the Oxford runs. Taylor Ellison had a single and triple.

On the cover: Chloe Stone

White Plains 15 Leeds 2

The Wildcats (12-1) just kept scoring and scoring until the clock stopped and ended the game pounding the eighth-ranked team in Class 4A.

They broke it open with eight runs in the fourth inning. Shelby Wood doubled and Anna Snider homered down the right field line. Carley Wood and Lauren Dodson walked, Anna Rouse doubled, Isabello Pinto walked, Amber Greenwood singled, Shelby Wood singled and Anna Snider doubled.

“We have worked so hard on our hitting and talk to them about having good at bats and they are just going out there and doing it,” coach Rachel Ford said.

Snider got the win on the mound alnd helped herself with a double, single and home run at the plate. Amber Greenwood came on and pitched one inning for the Wildcats. – Brant Locklier

Oneonta 6, Piedmont 4

The story for Piedmont continues to be about the same every night only the names and opponent are changed. The Lady Bulldogs are playing a tough ranked team and are tied or ahead late in the game, and the game comes down to the last pitch.

Friday night, they were leading 4A Oneonta 3-2 and the clock was running down when the Redskins tied it in the fourth and after time expired they played an extra inning and lost.
Oneonta scored three runs in the top of the sixth on a double and home run. Piedmont fought back with a run, but it was not enough as saw their record dip to 7-10.

Torre Roberts and Kendall Pressley each went 2-for-3. Pressley took the loss on the mound despite another impressive performance. Thirteen of Piedmont’s 17 games have seen the pitching hold opponents to three runs or have had the game go into extra innings. – Brant Locklier

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