James Clemens wins Breast Cancer Awareness Game

Sydney Booker strokes a hit against James Clemens in action from Thursday’s game
(RECORD PHOTO/LINDSAY VAUGHT)

MADISON-  For one day, the rivalry was set aside. Madison’s two high schools came together for a common cause. Fans cheered on their school’s softball teams and raised money for breast cancer awareness.

WAFF news anchor Liz Hurley accepted the donations and addressed the crowd moments after James Clemens and Bob Jones completed the annual Breast Cancer Awareness game Thursday afternoon.

“There are no losers today, only winners, winning the fight against breast cancer,” Hurley said. “We are all helping to create a future without breast cancer. All the money raised today will stay right here in the city of Madison and go to the Women’s Breast Health Center, an extension of Huntsville Hospital, the largest single site breast health center in Alabama.”

All the money raised, including a $1,500 donation from Madison Fire and Rescue, will go toward the Liz Hurley Breast Cancer Awareness Fund.

Pitching and defense was the story of the game which James Clemens won 3-1.

Abbey Paine, playing centerfield for James Clemens, made the catch of the day in the sixth inning when she snagged a long fly ball hit by Emily Duncan and doubled off Alyssa Worden at first base.

Offensively, freshman Shelby Booker scored two of the three runs by James Clemens.

Annabelle Smith pitched seven innings for Bob Jones and the only runs she allowed were the result of throwing errors. Emily Jacklin matched Smith with a dominating performance and allowed only one run.

Bob Jones pitcher Annabelle Smith
RECORD/PHOTO LINDSAY VAUGHT)

Bob Jones loaded the bases in the first inning but freshman rightfielder MaryKate West caught a sinking line drive to get the Jets out of the inning.

Bob Jones struck in the second inning when Emily Duncan drove home a run after a two base throwing error by Shelby Booker put a runner on.

Booker scored her first run in the third when she got a base hit and came around to score with Abbey Paine on a throwing error by Cheyenne Beacraft. Smith then struck out Sarah Swager to end the threat and James Clemens led 2-1.

Smith struck out Abbey Paine to end the fourth inning with two runners on base.

In the bottom of the fifth, Shelby Booker got on base and attempted to steal when catcher Alyssa Worden threw the ball into center field and Booker scored.

Bob Jones senior Sydney Booker gave the crowd some late game excitement. With Bob Jones down to their last out she doubled against the fence in leftfield but Jacklin got the last out on a fly ball to second by Beacraft.

Jets players came in confident they could get their first win ever against Bob Jones.

“It’s really exciting,” said Abbey Paine who is a junior. “We have been waiting a year for this. The amount of work we put in we knew we could compete with them. We didn’t know who was going to come out on top but it happened to be us.”

On the great catch Paine said “the sun was in my eyes and I had to run back to make the catch, then I heard my teammates yelling shoot one so I threw to first and first baseman Katie McCarley helped me out.”

James Clemens coach A.J. Daugherty said the team needed the win after dropping a 6-3 area game to Florence on Tuesday.

“Emily pitched very well today. We had some big plays behind her but she worked ahead in the counts and when she missed she missed in the right spots. You can’t miss up and out over the plate.

We feel we have one of the best outfields in the state. They are athletic and can cover a lot of ground and have good arms.”

Emily Jacklin pitcer for James Clemens
(RECORD PHOTO/LINDSAY VAUGHT)

His infield is led by Caroline Paine at shortstop and Booker at third base.

“She is a great competitor, not a harder worker on the team. She has the potential to be something special when she gets more experience,” Daugherty said of Booker.

“We are still a year behind teams like Bob Jones but we don’t make that excuse anymore,” said Daugherty. “That is out the window. We are competing with these teams and we expect to beat them. What’s encouraging is we are beating good teams in established programs and we are not really clicking yet.”

“The girls who have been with us for two years now, this really means a lot to them. Coach Chambers runs a great program and it’s always exciting to beat a good team. This is something special being a cross-town rival before a big crowd.”