Columbiana teams in World Series

Published 12:00 am Tuesday, July 30, 2002

Two Columbiana teams will be playing in World Series action this weekend.

The Columbiana Angels will head to Eufaula Friday morning to participate in the Dixie Girls World Series, scheduled for Aug. 3-8.

The Angels defeated Decatur 2-0 and AUM Green 3-1 to win the state crown and qualify for the World Series.

The Shelby County Dizzy Dean 13 and 14 year old team also participated in World Series action.

The squad won its district championship and finished as runners-up in the state tournament.

The team won one game and lost to to be eliminated from the World Series.

The team defeated Louisiana 8-3 in the first game and dropped a 20-10 decision to Granada in game No. 2. Granada scored 10 runs in the seventh inning to get the win.

In game No. 3, the Columbiana team lost to Starkville, Miss., 8-7. The Columbiana team had the bases loaded in the last inning with one out but could not convert.

The Columbiana Angels scored three runs in the top of the first inning en route to the 3-1 win over AUM.

Angles’ pitchers Chelsey Dunnaway and reliever Chelsey O’Shields combined for a three-hitter in the championship game.

&uot;We thought we were down in our pitching,&uot; Angles manager Ashley Phillips said. &uot;We felt our pitching was a little bit depleted, but the ones that pitched did a fantastic job.&uot;

Columbiana’s Brooklynn Phillips struck out nine batters and allowed just one hit in three innings of work in the 2-0 win over Decatur. Phillips was clocked with a radar gun at a consistent 55 mph.

Meagan Billingsley opened the championship game with a single and advanced to second on a throwing error. Phillips reached on an error and advanced to second on a throwing error as Billingsley raced home, giving the Angles a 1-0 lead.

Dunnaway scored Phillips with an RBI single to right center field, then scored on another single by to right center field by Courtney Lawshe to give Columbiana a 3-0 lead, a lead which was never relinquished.

AUM scored its lone run in the third inning, and threatened again before O’Shields sent AUM batters three up, three down in the final two innings to being home the championship.

&uot;We knew we had to score runs,&uot; Ashley Phillips said. &uot;We scored so many runs in the first inning that it really got us going. We felt like our defense was strong, but nine- and 10-year-old girls make mistakes.&uot;

Columbiana will face Louisiana Saturday night in Eufaula. The Angels will leave Columbiana for Eufaula Friday morning at 9:30 with a parade through downtown Columbiana