Roanoke Times
Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: THURSDAY, August 11, 1994 TAG: 9408120050
SECTION: SPORTS PAGE: B2 EDITION: METRO
SOURCE: STAFF REPORT
DATELINE: LENGTH: Medium
Bedford's weary staff was left pitching uphill Wednesday, and so Louisiana and Mississippi will meet tonight for the championship of the 18th annual fast-pitch Series for 16- to 18-year-olds.
On a semifinal night of rematches at the Moyer Sports Complex, the defending national Debs champion from Mississippi - Forest Hill of Jackson - and Louisiana moved into today's 6 p.m. final.
Natchitoches, La., advanced from the winners' bracket with a 10-2 victory over the Bedford County Nationals. In the semifinal opener, Mississippi's state champ emerged from the losers' bracket with a 5-3 victory over Tennessee.
A Louisiana victory clinches the Debs' national title in the 10-team, double-elimination tournament. If Mississippi wins, the teams will play at 8 p.m. for the crown.
Bedford had lost 12-5 to Natchitoches in the second round Sunday, the same day Tennessee beat Mississippi 9-5.
Local teams won two of the past five Dixie Debs Series championships - Salem in 1989 and Cave Spring two years ago.
Bedford used four pitchers in the first five innings, and Louisiana scored eight runs in its first four at-bats, getting six hits to go with eight walks, a hit batsman and two errors.
Right-hander Brandi Whitten went the distance on the mound for Louisiana and also had two hits and two RBI.
Ashley Daniels was the stopper and the bopper for Mississippi. With Forest Hill ahead 4-0, Tennessee loaded the bases with no outs in the bottom of the fourth.
Daniels moved from left field to the mound and coaxed two pop-outs and a groundout to strand all three runners. In the top of the next inning, she ripped a solo homer - Mississippi's third home run of the tournament - to go with an earlier double.
Daniels also picked up the victory, giving up two hits in the final four innings, and scored a pair of runs. Sandi Graves belted a final-inning solo homer for the Tennessee state champs.
by CNB