Baker softball falls in regional quarterfinals

By KYLE WRIGHT

Florida Freedom Newspapers

BAKER - Cottondale's leadoff hitter authored a Dickens of an ending to Baker's softball season.

It was the worst of times for the Gators, who fell 4-3 in a Region 1-2A quarterfinal against the Hornets on Tuesday.

It was the best of times for Cottondale (15-8), which advanced on the strength of Shanae Dickens' go-ahead RBI double in the top of the seventh.

Baker coach John Carlisle had a pregame hunch that Dickens would cause his team some trouble.

"I watched them during warm-ups and thought, ‘That's a tough competitor. I bet she's their best player,' " Carlisle said. "And she showed it."

Dickens drove in the winning run when she clubbed a two-out double to deep center to score Deb Davis in the top of the seventh.

Dickens and Cottondale No. 2 hitter Lent Pittman gave the Gators (17-11) fits all night with their speed.

Dickens and Pittman both reached on infield hits and scored in the top of the first to stake Cottondale to a 2-0 lead. Pittman put Cottondale ahead 3-1 in the third when she reached base on a throwing error, and then motored all the way home when the errant toss got past a Baker fielder backing up the play.

The Gators got their first run when Dani Mayhair doubled home Brittany Kilpatrick in the bottom of the second.

Lauren Griffith made it 3-2 in the fourth. Griffith singled, stole second and scored when she drew a throwing error on an attempt to steal third.

In the fifth, three consecutive Gators reached base on infield hits. Jessica Gilmore then scored from third when a one-out grounder struck another Baker baserunner to tie the score at 3-3.

The Gators put runners on base in each of the last two innings, but couldn't push across a run.

"We gave ourselves a chance, right up to the last inning," Carlisle said. "You've got to give it to Cottondale. They didn't make many mistakes. They were better than us tonight."

Cottondale   201 000 1 - 4 7 1

Baker             010 110 0 - 3 7 4

W-Liz Krauser. L-Paige Cotton.