HIGH SCHOOL SOFTBALL: Clintwood Falls To Appalachia

By Tim Hayes
Sports Writer / Bristol Herald Courier
Published: May 20, 2008

WISE — Clintwood High School’s softball team suffered through its share of tough losses this season. Monday, the Greenwave’s season ended in painfully familiar fashion.

“It’s by far the hardest loss we’ve had,” freshman pitcher Roxanne Hillman said.

Suzanna Long’s two-run triple with two outs in the bottom of the sixth inning proved to be the decisive blow as fourth-seeded Appalachia rallied for a 3-2 win over No. 5 Clintwood in the first round of the Lonesome Pine District tournament at the University of Virginia’s College at Wise.

Appalachia (9-12) advances to Wednesday’s semifinals to face top-seeded and regular-season champion Powell Valley. Clintwood ends its season with a 10-10 record.

It appeared that Hillman would hold the title of hero through the first five innings.

Samantha Robinson and Courtney Rose scored on her two-run single to left-center field in the fifth inning as Clintwood took a 2-0 lead.

Hillman also took over pitching duties for Rose in the second inning. She struck out six in five effective innings of relief.

However, things fell apart in the sixth.

Teryn Mullins got Appalachia on the board with a RBI double, while Long gave the Bulldogs the lead with her triple. Clintwood right fielder Brittany Hall just missed catching the ball on a diving attempt.

“She went for it and tried to make a play on it,” Clintwood coach David Vanover said. “I can’t fault her there, it just got behind her … It seems like it’s been our story this year. We’ve lost I don’t know how many one-run games and it seems one inning always seems to bite us.”

Hillman had allowed just two hits in her first four innings of work, before the Bulldogs broke through.

“It was hard at the beginning, but we held in there,” Long said. “It was teamwork. Our goal was to win and move on.”

Meanwhile, Clintwood must look ahead to 2009. Rose, the only senior starter, had two hits in her final game. The rest of the starting lineup was comprised of underclassmen, including Hillman.

“It’s been a good experience,” Hillman said. “We’ll definitely get better.”

Vanover announced after the game that he is stepping down after five seasons at the helm of the Greenwave.

“Whoever inherits the program, has got some good things going on the next few years,” Vanover said. “I see nothing but a bright future for the girls.”

Clintwood 000 020 0—2 6 1
Appalachia 000 003 x—3 6 3
Rose, Hillman (2) and Conley. Boggs and Howard. W—Boggs. L—Hillman. HR—none.
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