It took some time for North Greene’s bats to get going on Thursday evening, but once they did the Lady Huskies were slamming the ball all over the park and took down Class 4A Morristown East 15-4.
“I thought we played well overall,” North Greene coach Avery Weems said. “It took a little while for the bats to get going, but once they got warmed up things kind of exploded. I’m really pleased overall with tonight with it being so early in the season.”
Thursday was the Lady Huskies’ first game with their complete lineup as five of the team’s nine batters arrived after fishing basketball season. Those newcomers showed little rust as North Greene turned in an errorless effort on defense and put 21 runners on the base path on offense.
“We played a clean game on defense. Matti (Phillips) threw a good game and we played good behind her,” Weems said. “It was the first time a lot of those girls have been out here in a game, and to see them play clean the first time out was really good to see. I think things are coming along well. We are blessed with a group that is talented. Even though those basketball girls have only practiced three times they have played a lot and it comes back to them quickly.”
Morristown East got the scoring started in the third inning and took a 2-0 lead. Tayla Brice earned the first hit of the evening when she banged a double off the left-field fence. She went on to score after a wild pitch and a passed ball.
With two outs Ally Daniels flew a triple to deep right field and she was knocked in a double by Mackenzie Maness.
North Greene was quick to answer and pushed across two runs in the bottom of the third.
Eva Leonard walked to reach base and scored from second when Charlie Turnmire fired a line drive into right field. A double by Hannah Brooks put Turnmire on third and she scored to even things at 2-2 when Josie Graham put a fly ball into centerfield that was dropped.
North Greene took the lead for the first time by scoring two runs in the fourth inning. Addi Dean led off the side by sending a single to right field. Leonard followed with a deep shot to center field for a double, and after and errant throw back to the infield she ended up on third. Matti Phillips skipped a groundball through the left side to put North Greene on top 4-2.
In the top of the fifth inning East’s Daniels launched a two-run home run over the right-field fence to even the score at 4-4.
Graham got the fifth inning started with a big swing that sailed a solo home run over the fence in the left-center field. That put North Greene back in front and sparked a big inning that saw the next nine batters reach base safely.
“That was a huge at bat. We get a lead off homer to start the inning and then we go on to bat around. That was a big momentum swing that kind of sprung things for us,” Weems said.
Tralyn Southerland followed by dropping a single into shallow right field and Kinlea Eastep laid down a bunt single. Leonard knocked in two runs with a hard groundball that made it through the right side.
Brooks knocked in two runs before Graham earned her second hit in the inning. The final three runs of the day crossed when Dean sent a bases-clearing fly ball deep into centerfield.
North Greene produced 11 hits on Thursday. Graham was 2-for-4 with a home run, two RBIs and two runs scored. Leonard went 2-for-2 with a double, three RBIs and three runs scored. Dean was 2-for-2 with a double, three RBIs and two runs scored. Brooks had a double and Turnmire had two RBIs.
Phillips earned the win from the circle. In five innings she struck out three, walked one and allowed six hits.
For Morristown East Daniels was 2-for-3 with a home run, triple, two RBIs and two runs scored.
