The Greeneville softball team got production throughout the lineup on Friday night as it picked up its first win of the season and gave head coach Lilly Million the first win of her career, 19-3 at West Greene.
“I felt like the girls came out ready to play,” Million said. “They showed up from the first inning and I couldn’t ask more from them. Defensively we are working on making the routine outs and making sure we are helping our pitchers. I felt like we did that tonight, and that was really important to see after we struggled a little bit with that on Tuesday.”
The Lady Greene Devils pounded out 13 hits from eight players in the winning effort and put 28 runners on the base path. Kaley Garland led the offense from her leadoff spot with a 3-for-4 night that included a double and three RBIs. Destani Bailey went 2-for-4 with a double and four RBIs. Kyla Jobe was 2-for-4 and scored three runs, and Addie Lamons went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs scored.
“We produced one through nine in the lineup and I’m so proud of that,” Million said. “We preach in practice that we just want everyone to do their job. We don’t need a hero, we just need everyone to do their job, whether that is getting a base hit or getting a bunt down.”
Greeneville wasted little time getting on the board on Friday, plating four runs in the top of the first inning. Garland led off the game with a walk, and scored from second when Jobe smacked a groundball through the left side. Jobe scored when an attempt to pick her off at second missed its target and was thrown around.
Lamons bounced a single past the shortstop and an error allowed her to move to third safely. Kinslee Lewandowski pushed the lead to 3-0 with a line drive to centerfield and Destani Bailey scored on a passed ball. West Greene was able to get out of the frame by catching Lewandowski at the plate on the same passed ball, but the Lady Devils led 4-0.
Greeneville’s lead grew to 8-0 in the second inning. Garland again got things started with a groundball single. Baylee Ramsey was hit by a pitch and Jobe loaded the bases when Garland beat the throw to third on a ground ball.
A walk scored the first run of the frame before Bailey knocked in two more with a blast to the centerfield grass. Two passed balls moved Brynlee Jones around the base path before the Lady Buffaloes could get out of the inning.
The score stayed the same into bottom of the fourth inning when West Greene found some life on offense for the first time. Kaylee Willett got the side started with a double to centerfield and Amanda Owens put her on third with another shot up the middle. Morgan Brown worked a walk, and on ball four Willet scored on a passed ball. Addison Peters then sent a chopper down the right field line that scored two runs and closed the gap to 8-3.
Greeneville answered with an 11-run side that put the game out of reach.
Lewandowski scored first on a passed ball before Garland knocked in two runs on a double to left field. Garland scored on a passed ball and then Lamons pushed across two with a ground ball that made it into left field.
Bailey followed by banging a double off the fence that scored two more runs. Riley Foshie put a single into center field for the first hit of her Lady Devil career, and Garland knocked her in for the final run of the night.
The game ended with Lamons, Jobe and Bailey connecting on a 4-6-3 double play in the bottom half of the inning.
Jamie Jackson earned the win in the circle on Friday. In 3 1/3 innings she struck out four, walked six and allowed three hits. Jones threw 1 2/3 innings in relief with one strikeout, one walk and no hits allowed.
For West Greene Abby Cluesman took the loss. In 4 1/3 innings she allowed seven hits with one strikeout and five walks. Brown threw 2/3 of an inning with one strikeout, three walks and six hits allowed.
