The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

CAPITALISING on a 16-run third inning, the defending champions Sunshine Auto Wildcats went on an offensive tear as they routed the Johnson’s Lady Truckers 27-6 to snatch a 2-1 lead in their New Providence Softball Association’s best-of-seven ladies’ championship series in the Banker’s Field at the Baillou Hills Sporting complex on Thursday night.

The sad part about is that the Lady Truckers had to tote the load for seven innings as the Lady Wildcats were not able to stop the game by the mercy rule. In fact, Sunshine Auto’s winning pitcher Thela Johnson said they had that in store for Johnson’s after they predicted that they were going to sweep them.

“Words can’t explain. We would have been up 3-0 if we had hit the ball in game two,” said Johnson as they bounced back from a 6-1 loss on Tuesday night. “I guess tonight was pretty awesome. I can’t explain how happy I am with my team. I told them to bring their bats and they brought their bats along with some lumber.”

She said the Lady Truckers can take this as a warning because “ain’t no stopping them now.”

“This is more than a statement,” she stated. “They say they want to back-door sweep, but you can’t back-door sweep us. This the ‘Cats. The ‘Cats are going all the way.”

Johnson, batting fifth in the line-up, proved her point as she helped her own cause by going 2-for-3 with two runs batted in (RBI) and scored five times to help her own cause. Defensively, she gave up 10 hits and struck out four batters for the win.

In addition to their third-inning massacre, the Lady Wildcats, managed by Anthony Bullard, also produced three runs in the first inning, four in the second, one in the fourth and fifth and two in the sixth as they simply took advantage of the Lady Truckers’ miscues.

Left fielder Tyrice Curry led their attack as she went 3-for-6 with three RBI (on an in-the-park home run in the third) and five runs scored. Center fielder Lashonda Bethel was 1-for-4 with three RBI and two runs scored; shortstop Larikah Russell was 5-for-6 with four runs scored; third sacker Ruthann Simms went 4-for-5 with five RBI and two runs scored and right fielder Michesia Davis was 3-for-5 with three RBI and two runs scored.

Diva Burrows started for the Lady Truckers and was tagged with the loss before she got pulled midway in the third and was replaced with center fielder Dawanya Pratt. She didn’t get out of the inning as Dawn Johnson had to step in from first base to complete the game. But then, it was a little too late as the damage had already been done.

Together, the gave up 24 hits and Pratt was responsible for their only strike out.

“We had too many errors,” was how Dawn Johnson tried to sum up their defeat. “Our pitcher pitched about 6-7 games straight and our team didn’t back her up. Too many errors. When you have more errors than hits and runs, you get beat and you get beat bad.”

But the good thing, according to Johnson, is it’s only a 2-1 deficit.

“We can bounce back,” she insisted. “Teams get beat when they are up 3-0, so it ain’t over until the fat lady sing.”

The Lady Truckers, managed by Sidney ‘Bobby Baylor’ Fernander, scored their first run in the top of the first, added two in the second and one each in the third, fourth and sixth innings.

Catcher Jirett Sturrup 2-for-4 with two RBI; Pratt was 3-for-4 with two runs scored and left fielder Theota Ferguson was 2-for-3 with two runs scored.

Game four of the series will be played on Saturday night at 8:30 pm, following the men’s game between the defending champions C&S Hitmen and the Commando Security Truckers. The men played game three late last night, but their result wasn’t available at press time.