Alcoa survives doubleheader to play again

By Leonard Butts
of The Daily Times Staff

Following a nervous 3-2 win over Carter on Wednesday night in the District 3-AA softball tournament early game, the Lady Tornadoes rushed to the concession stand to prepare for the second contest of the elimination doubleheader.

The calories made a difference.

Alcoa followed up its win over the Lady Hornets with a more energetic 4-1 victory over Fulton to stay alive in tourney play.

The Lady Tornadoes (19-11) will now face the winner of today's 6 p.m. game between Seymour and Gibbs for a chance to play for the district tournament title.

"I was a lot stronger in the second game," said Alcoa catcher Kaylee Garrett, who was 5-for-6 at the plate in the two games. "I got some food in me and that was the difference."

Lady Tornado coach Paul Talley said if concession food was the difference in how this team played both games, he's going to feed them every time.

"After losing (on Tuesday night), we were angry more than anything," Talley said. "It was one of those things where we just got whipped. It made us mad. Plus, we had lost to Fulton about three weeks ago in what was probably our worst game of the year, so we had a little motivation in playing them.

"I thought if we got through the first game, we'd be a lot more excited to play the second game, and we were. I was really nervous about both, but the first game more so because we wanted to play Fulton so bad."

Alcoa pitcher Nicole Tidwell (18-10) claimed both wins, striking out six Lady Falcons and getting some sterling defensive play from Arika McDonald among others.

With a 1-0 lead in the third inning, Tidwell hit the leadoff batter with a pitch and things began to snowball unfavorably. Fulton tied the game at 1-1 and threatened to take the lead, but McDonald handled a hot grounder and tagged out the lead runner. On the next play, she knocked down a line drive and got the force at third to end the inning.

The Lady Tornadoes then took advantage by scoring two runs in the bottom of the third on a bunt by Emily Williams and a passed ball.

Tidwell hit another Fulton batter in the top of the fifth, and the Lady Falcons soon loaded the bases with only one out. But a ground ball force at home, and a fly ball to right ended the inning.

Alcoa added an insurance run when Williams recorded another bunt single.

"Coming into it, we knew we had a doubleheader with elimination," Garrett said. "We were just going for the two wins today. It was tough and you get tired. We came out a little dead (in the first game), but when we talked at the break (before the second game), we knew we had to get up and stay up."

In the earlier contest, Alcoa led 3-0 after five and appeared to be cruising, but the Lady Hornets picked up two runs in the top of the sixth before the fire was put out and celebratory concessions enjoyed.