New Plymouth softball shuts out Parma
By Scott Ford
Argus Observer
Friday, May 9, 2008 12:32 PM PDT
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| Scott Ford | Argus Observer
New Plymouth’s Whitney Hodges had complete control during the Lady Pilgrims opening round win at the 2A District III softball tournament in Melba Thursday. Hodges mowed down Parma hitters as New Plymouth posted a 6-0 win. |
Melba—The New Plymouth Lady Pilgrim softball team scored three runs in the bottom of the first inning, and New Plymouth’s starting pitcher, Whitney Hodges, went the distance, striking out 11 in a 6-0 two-hit shut out over Parma Thursday in Melba during the 2A District III tournament.
Up next for the Lady Pilgrims is a date with defending 2A Idaho state champ, Melba, who embarrassed Nampa Christian 16-0 Thursday.
The season series for New Plymouth and Melba has gone the Lady Mustang’s way. It has won both meetings this year by scores of 4-0 and 11-1.
Against Parma, however, the Lady Pilgrims took care of business early, and in the home half of the first inning, New Plymouth scored three runs.
Alisha Shipman led off the inning with a walk, followed by a single off the bat of Shianne Edmunson, putting runners at first and second for Anna Pittman. Pittman sacrificed the base runners into scoring position. Then, following a pop out, Jessica Hartzell came through with a two RBI double to left-center. Hartzell was driven home when Lauren Arnzen found grass in right center for the 3-0 lead.
New Plymouth added to its lead in the bottom of the fifth inning with two more runs. Shipman began the inning with a single, Edmunson reached on an error by the Parma shortstop. Pittman moved the runners up a base with a ground-out sacrifice. Shipman scored on the second error of the inning by Parma’s shortstop, and Edmunson scored when Hartzell stroked a single.
In the home half of the sixth inning, New Plymouth added its final run of the game when Edmunson pounded a double down the right field line to score Shipman who reached on a single to lead off the inning.
Leading the Lady Pilgrims at the plate was Edmunson, going 3-for-4 with an RBI. Hartzell finished the day going 3-for-3 with three RBIs.
“We had good pitching and good defense today,” New Plymouth head coach Troy Knapp said. “The girls played heads up ball today.”
