Marshall County Tribune: High School Sports: Stinnett's strikeouts reach a grand total (04/20/10)

Courtney Hollandsworth left and Chelsea Johnson center congratulate Forrest senior Shelby Stinnett (holding the 1,000 strikeout ball) as they came to bench after play was stopped at the end of the fist inning after Stinnett reached the milestone with an inning ending strikeout in the Lady Rocket's 5-0 win over Cascade Monday night in Chapel Hill. Tribune photos by Anthony S. Puca

Forrest's Shelby Stinnett (12-0) turned in another one of her signature performances Monday night, circle crafting a 5-0 complete game shutout win over the visiting Cascade Lady Champions.

Stinnett continued her remarkable five-year streak of never allowing an earned run to a District 9-A opponent and in the first inning, the MTSU signee reached 1,000 strikeouts for her career.

The Lady Rocket senior struck out 11, gave up 2 hits, and walked just one batter in the contest.

Stinnett said about reaching the milestone after the game, "I kinda been working for it my whole career. It is a big achievement me and my dad have worked hard to get and it feels good. Our goal is to get past district and move on and be undefeated in the district and we will work towards that."

Forrest head coach Becky Cheatham said, "It is a great accomplishment for Shelby and as Ricky (Stinnett) said it also is a wonderful team accomplish because she could not have done that on her own and Shelby will be the first to tell you that."

Stinnett and Cascade pitcher Leigha Carter were dueling early before the Lady Rockets broke through with an unearned run in the bottom of the second.

With two outs, Caitlyn Rotchford reached on an error and Mandi Conley came in to run for the Forrest catcher.

Whitney Stofel doubled down the right field line, putting runners on second and third.

Mandi Conley slides home with Forrest's first run of the game on a passed ball in the second inning. The one run would be all Shelby Stinnett would need as she shut-out Cascade 5-0.

On a 1-0 count to Ciara Cook, Conley slid home on a passed ball for the eventual game winning run.

Stinnett retired the Lady Champs 1-2-3 in the third, continuing her no-hitter.

Brooke Herron leads off the fourth inning with a single to left. Herron would come home to score two batters later on a Ciara Cook squeeze bunt RBI.

Carter got out of the bottom of the frame unscathed and watched from the dugout as Stinnett struck out the side in order in the 4th.

Forrest got a signature small ball run in the bottom of the inning when Brooke Herron slashed a leadoff single to left and went to second on a sacrifice bunt by Rotchford.

A 4-3 fielder's choice by Stofel sent Herron to third with two outs and Cook cashed in the run with a perfect squeeze bunt, making it 2-0.

Ciara Cook squeezes home a run in the 4th inning versus Cascade Monday night in Chapel Hill. Cook went 2-2 in the game with a walk an RBI and 2 stolen bases.

With one out in the top of the fifth, Stinnett lost her no-hitter on a clean single to center by Tyler Buck.

Stinnett set down the next two batters, sending the game to the bottom of the fifth.

Once again, Forrest scratched out a run, beginning with a one out single to left by Rachel Curtis.

Curtis ended up on second on a throwing error and Cascade paid for the miscue when Adrean Jordan drove Curtis home with an RBI single to center.

Cascade got their last hit off Stinnett in the top of the seventh on an infield single in the hole by Tori Slater with one out.

Stinnett grabbed a hot shot back to the mound for the second out and Courtney Hollandsworth made a nice play on a blast to second, ending the inning.

Rotchford and Stofel reached on back-to-back errors by Cascade in the home half of the sixth.

Sara Jordan was in to run for the catcher and Conley came off the bench to run for Stofel.

Cook knocked in Jordan with a beautiful slap hit into the left field gap, making it a 4-0 ballgame.

An infield single by Chelsea Johnson loaded the sacks full of blue and white and after a 3-2 put-out at the plate for the first out, Stinnett drove in Conley with a grounder in the infield for a 5-0 FHS lead.

Johnson made the defensive play of the game in the top of the seventh, speeding to the right center field gap to make a running catch on a shot off the bat of Alyssa Hoover for the first out.

The Forrest Lady Rockets pose with Shelby Stinnett and her 1,000th strikeout ball after their 5-0 win versus Cascade.

Stinnett took care of the rest, slamming the door shut with consecutive strikeouts to end the game.

Forrest (15-2, 10-0) travels to Page Wednesday and Franklin County Thursday before coming home for the big three-way inter-county battle with MCHS (21-6, 8-1) and Cornersville (15-6, 7-1) on Friday night at the Field of Dreams in Chapel Hill.