The Tribune

By BRENT STUBBS

Senior Sports Reporter

bstubbs@tribunemedia.net

WITH an explosive five-run top of the sixth inning on Saturday night in the Banker's Field at the Baillou Hills Sporting Complex, the Sunshine Auto Wildcats blew past the Inventive Intellect Warriors.

As they doubled up the Warriors for a 10-5 victory, the defending champions and pennant winning Wildcats snatched a 1-0 lead in their New Providence Softball Association ladies' best-of-seven championship series.

Mechelle Moss, playing second base and batting second in the line-up, led the offensive charge with a 3-for-4 production with two runs batted in and scored twice. She said it's just a taste of what to expect for the rest of the series.

"I felt really relaxed. Me and my girls just came out here and we executed our game plan," she stated. "The most important thing, which helped us in the win, was we had fun."

Game two is 7pm tonight and Moss is looking forward to the same results.

"We expect the same type of intensity and energy. We're just going to come out here and do what we are supposed to do and have fun at it," she said.

Moss highlighted a three-run first inning for the Wildcats with a run-producing triple that plated centre fielder Daria Cambridge.

A RBI single from shortstop Larikah Russell sent Moss home and Russell crossed the plate as well on an error that put first sacker Ruthann Simms on first. The Wildcats, managed by Anthony Bullard, added their fourth run in the third with two out when third sacker Lynette Kelly reached safely on base on an error and scampered home on another miscue.

In avoiding getting shutout, the Warrior responded by putting three runs on the scoreboard in the fourth, sparked by left fielder Nadia Thompson's two-run double that knocked in designated player Christine Jenoure and second sacker Atiya Dean.

Right fielder Francheska McBridge added the third after she walked stole second and came home on an error.

The Warriors, managed by Kelly Smith, would not score again until the sixth when Dean and relief catcher Crystal Taylor drew a walk and got on an error respectively. They scored on a passed ball and an error credited to Wildcats' catcher Aaliyah Ferguson.

Ramona Hanna came in to replace relief starter Thela Johnson, who had a one-ball pitch on McBridge. Hanna controlled the tempo of the Warriors' bats and held them scoreless the rest of the way.

Tied at 5-5 going into the bottom of the sixth, the Wildcats went wild, sending all nine batters to the plate as they batted around the clock.

They scored five more runs in the process to close out the game, sparked by a RBI double from Moss, a RBI single from Russell and a RBI sacrifice fly from Ferguson.

"We had some simple errors and mistakes," said Mia Turner, who returned home from high school in Ontario, Canada to provide a lift for the Warriors for the entire series on the infield as she started behind the plate, but ended up in shortstop.

"We didn't give up that many hits. I guess it was the first game jitters. We just have to come back and play better in game two and take back what we lost today. We didn't play bad tonight. We just have to talk a little more when we are making our plays."

In her starting role for the Wildcats, Johnson was working on a four hit, fiver trike out performance before Hanna came in and completed the game on a no-hitter in the final two innings.

Brendia Ferguson went the distance and was tagged with the loss for the Warriors. She gave up eight hits with a strike out.

While game two is set for 7 pm tonight, they will play game three on Thursday and game four is scheduled for Saturday.