6-run inning propels Trojans to win over South Pointe

By Steven Bowers

The Northwestern Trojans used a six-run third inning to build a big lead, then held off the South Pointe Stallions down the stretch to get their first win of the season, 9-7, Tuesday night at South Pointe.

The Trojans (1-1), lost their season opener to Gaffney Monday night.

Tuesday they took advantage of nine walks by the Stallion pitchers. South Pointe chipped away at the lead with two runs in the fourth inning, one in the fifth, and three in the sixth. But they went quietly 1-2-3 in the seventh to end the rally.

Turning Point

Northwestern led 2-1 before busting it open in the third inning with six runs on four hits, two walks, and an error. Hannah Argame, Logan Hamel, and Maggee Sexton all had run-scoring base hits in the inning. That outburst would prove to be a big enough cushion for the Trojans to hang on.

“Right now we are ravaged by the flu,” Northwestern coach Bryan Smith said. “We had three girls out tonight with either the flu or a stomach bug. So we had to pull up some kids from JV to make the squad and have enough subs, and they gutted it out.”

Critical

In the home half of the first inning, the first two Stallions hit safely. Northwestern catcher Jessica Lamb then made a diving grab of a foul pop by Isabella Dunn for the first out. With two outs, Christiana Scott tied it with a base hit to center. But with runners at the corners, Scott was called out at first for faking as a move toward second base while Trojan pitcher Izzy Shellnut had the ball in the pitcher’s circle. There was a long discussion between the South Pointe coaches and the umpires, but the call stood and the inning ended with the score tied at one.

“I kind of forced (the umpire’s) hand,” Smith said. “He knew it was the right call.”

Cassie Wancheck had a sacrifice fly in the second for Northwestern, and Maggee Sexton had an RBI-base hit to center in the fourth. Those two runs turned out to be big for the visitors.

Star contributors

Seventh-grader Logan Hamel reached base all four at-bats, scored twice, and drove in a run in her first varsity start for the Trojans. Also making her first varsity start was sophomore Maggee Sexton. She was 2-for-3 with a walk, 2 RBI, and a run scored.

“She’s playing JV and varsity,” Smith said. “We’ve got some young kids that are coming through to compliment what Cassie is bringing as a senior. Fort Mill is head and shoulders above everybody else, but we feel like we can play with anybody else in the region.”

Wancheck was 2-for-3 with a double to start the game, two sacrifice flies, and a run scored. Kayt Houston for South Pointe was 3-for-4 with a triple, an RBI, and a run scored. Kamryn Culp was 2-for-4 with a two-run double that cut the deficit to 9-6 in the sixth, and she scored the final Stallion run.

On deck

The Trojans travel to Blythewood Thursday, while South Pointe goes to Rock Hill.

This story was originally published March 7, 2017 at 9:06 PM with the headline "6-run inning propels Trojans to win over South Pointe."