By Tom Peavy

Published: May 6, 2008

BEULAH — Despite facing her three times, Beulah just couldn’t seem to figure out West Blocton pitcher Valerie Cook.

Cook allowed just four hits and the Tigers bats got hot as West Blocton took a deciding Game 3, 6-0, over Beulah.

West Blocton took Game 1 of the day, 7-3, while Beulah bounced back to even things with a 4-2, eight-inning win in Game 2.

But Cook’s stellar performance in Game 3 helped lift the Tigers to the Class 3A Sub-State second round.

Beulah’s season came to a crashing halt at 13-17 and the Bobcats missed the Sweet 16 for the first time in four years.

“We’ve got five seniors, and that’s the most difficult thing about the loss,” Beulah head coach Allison Aikens said. “We just made too many mistakes, especially in the first game — we didn’t hit enough to overcome errors.”

In the series-deciding Game 3, West Blocton got on the board with a run in the first and added another run in the second.

The Tigers made it 3-0 in the fifth and iced things with three runs in the sixth.

Cook’s only trouble came in the bottom of the seventh when Tori Walls singled with two outs and Emily Miller and Brooke Oliver walked to load the bases.

But Cook got Jorden Simpson to ground out to end the game.

For the series, Cook won two games and allowed a combined eight hits.

Cook also did her damage at the plate, going 3-for-4 and scoring two runs. She also went 3-for-4 in Game 1 and 2, finishing a stellar 9-for-12 on the day.

Christina Allen and Lynsey Cargile also each went 2-for-4 to pace West Blocton in Game 3.

Beulah was led by Erica Nuncio who had two of Beulah’s four hits in Game 3.

In Game 1, Nuncio was 2-for-3, including a home run, for Beulah. But those were the only two hits the Bobcats could get against Cook.

In the meantime, the Tigers took advantage of five Beulah errors, while Savana Lightsey and Katie Hall each had two hits to go along with Cook’s three.

Game 2 went through seven innings tied at 2.

In the top of the eighth, Nuncio led off with an infield single and went to second on a sacrifice bunt. Jessica Monroe also put down a bunt and the throw to first was wild, allowing Nuncio to score the go-ahead run.

Beulah added a fourth run later in the inning on another West Blocton error.

Monroe finished the Tigers off in the bottom of the eighth to get the win.

“The second game we got some key hits and executed in certain things,” Aikens said. “It was good to see them fight back so we’d have a chance in the third game.”

Nuncio and Oliver had hits for Beulah in Game 2. Tabitha Battles had two hits to go along with Cook’s three.

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