Andrews uncorks no-hitter for EDP

By Matt Wilson
STAR Correspondent

   In girls' fast-pitch softball, the pitcher's position can dominate the game. Saturday afternoon at the National Little League Field, fans got a double dose of just that..dominating pitching.
   In game 1, the Elizabethton Police Department team downed Peebles 11-1.
   The Police Department team wears uniforms with E.P.D across the front, but pitcher Jamie Andrews was a one woman S.W.A.T. team on the diamond yesterday.
   Andrews threw a complete-game no-hitter and struck out six of the 12 Peebles batters she faced. E.P.D. plated all the runs it would need in the first as Ashley Cantrell tripled to right center to lead off the game.
   Cantrell scored the game's first run on an infield single by Brittany Henson. Bethany Collins and Henson added two more runs on a single by Chesney Cox. Cox then stole third and came home on a wild pitch.
   The pitcher Andrews then took over from there, striking out four of the first six outs. The second inning was a disastrous one for Peebles hurler Megan Guinn. Ashley Wagner doubled to lead off the inning. Two walks later Brittney Henson cleared the bases with an inside-the-park home run.
   When the dust had settled, the E.P.D squad had a commanding 11-0 lead. Peebles mounted its only real threat in the third as Chelsea Pate reached on an error, then promptly stole second and third.
   Andrews, a tenacious righty, then clamped down the Peebles rally, ending the inning with a three-pitch strikeout.
   E.P.D. threatened again in its half of the third when Chelsey Nidiffer worked a tough walk after fouling away several pitches.
   From there The speedy Nidiffer swiped second, and on the next pitch swiped third. Guinn was able to bear down and strike out the next two hitters. Nidiffer was stranded at third when Peebles second bagger Bethany Pate squeezed a pop-up to end the inning.
   Peebles plated its lone run in its last at bat as Bethany Pate reached on a two base error, stole third, and scored on a fielder's choice by Haley Thatcher. Andrews then closed the door on Peebles with a strikeout, securing her no-hit bid.
   Game 2
   Blossman Gas 13
   Big John's 1
   Blossman topped Big John's as two Blossman hurlers, Amanda Schultz and Kadey Robinson, combined to strike out 12 batters, every recorded out for Big John's.
   Blossman jumped out to a 5-0 lead in the first as Kristen Honeycutt singled and Robinson reached on an error. Rikki Pritchard, whose jersey bears the nickname "Thunder," then powered one down the right-field line, clearing the bases, and the rout was on.
   Elizabeth Quintero and Danielle Matherly added singles for Blossman during the opening salvo. The strikeout parade then began as Amanda Schultz struck out nine of the 14 Big John's batters she faced.
   Big John's lone run came in the third, when pitcher Mandy Montgomery drew a walk to lead off the inning. The determined Montgomery then managed to steal her way around the diamond with some crafty baserunning, scoring the lone run she would get as support.
   Blossman tallied four more runs in the third, with Pritchard adding the big hit yet again. The slugging catcher ripped a double to center, collecting her third and fourth RBIs on the day.
   Schultz then gave way to Robinson, whose jersey bears the nickname "Lightning," and her blazing pitches must have seemed to be just that to the overwhelmed Big John's squad.
   Robinson struck out the side to end the game with what appeared to be a nasty change-up on a called third strike. Blossman remains unbeaten on the season.