PORTSMOUTH – Under-cook it, over-cook it, cook it just right, it doesn’t matter as long as you have the right ingredients.

Friday, May 19, 2000

PORTSMOUTH – Under-cook it, over-cook it, cook it just right, it doesn’t matter as long as you have the right ingredients.

The Green Lady Bobcats have been using the same recipe the past few weeks and it keeps working. Case in point is a 3-2 Southern Ohio Conference win Thursday over the Portsmouth Clay Lady Panthers.

Good pitching with no walks, timely hitting, and good defense produced a fourth straight one-run win, three of those in tournament play.

"We’re just going to stay with what works for us: (Jessica Butler’s) consistency and the team’s ability to back her up. It’s been the formula that works for us," Green coach Jodi Armstrong said.

"Both teams played very well. We were fortunate enough to have several hits in a row to score our three runs."

Green broke the scoreless tie with four runs in the fourth.

Courtney Moore singled, stole second, took third on a passed ball, and scored on a hit by Ann Barrett.

Erica Bradley followed with a hit to put runners at first and second, and Erica Hall’s base hit scored Barrett.

Clay got a run back in the bottom of the inning with the help of a Green error, but the Lady Bobcats answered with a run in the fifth.

Heidi McDavid had a one-out triple and Butler hit a sacrifice fly to make it 3-1.

A second error enabled Clay to score a run in the sixth, but Butler retired the side in the seventh to secure the win.

Green, 11-7 overall and a final 6-4 SOC record, plays at 4:30 p.m. Thursday in the Division III regionals at Lancaster.

Green 000 210 0 – 3 6 2

Ports. Clay 000 101 0 – 2 3 1

Jessica Butler and Jennifer Cline. Sarah Workman and Emily Hemphill. W-Butler (7-K, 0-W). L-Workman (5-K, 0-W). 2B-Clay: Emily Hemphill. 3B-Green: Heidi McDavid. Hitting-Green: Courtney Moore 1-3, Ann Barrett 1-3, Erica Bradley 1-3, Erica Hall 1-3, Jessie Blankenship 1-3; Clay: Broughton 1-3, Workman 1-3, Hemphill 1-3.