The South Greene softball team’s season came to an end in heartbreaking fashion on Wednesday afternoon in the Region 1-2A Tournament Semifinals.
The Lady Rebels led the whole way, but in the seventh inning Eagelton rallied to steal a 7-3 victory that sent the Lady Royals to the championship game.
“The game was stalemate from the second through the sixth, but their bats got going in the seventh and it put them over the top,” South Greene assistant coach Joshua Arrowood said. “We couldn’t get our bats going after that first inning and that ultimately came back to bite us. We gave ourselves a chance to win, but we couldn’t get enough offense going.”
Hits in the game were even at eight a piece, and South Greene played cleaner defense with no errors compared to three from Eagleton. But the Lady Rebels struck out nine times and walked twice, while the Lady Royals struck out none and walked eight times.
The game was decided in the final frame and Eagleton got the top of the seventh inning started by scoring five runs. Natalie Murrell led off with a bunt single, and then two walks loaded the bases.
South Greene had to bring the infield in to make the play at home and Sara Wilson sent a ground ball to shortstop Madison Hensley whose throw home pulled Paisley Brobeck off the dish, allowing the tying run to score.
Still with no outs Graci Fenstemaker got a groundball past the forward playing infield for a two-run single that pushed the lead to 5-3. A bases loaded walk scored the next run and Fenstemaker scored on a wild pitch before South Greene could get out of the inning.
Down to their last at bat the Lady Rebels managed to get Whitney Reaves to third base, but could not muster a rally of their own.
“They got a couple runners on with no outs, and that put our backs against the wall. It wasn’t bad pitching or defense, they just worked the at bats and found ways on. We had to pull the infield in, and they got a few runs on us,” Arrowood said.
The day started with Eagleton jumping in front 2-0 in the top of the first inning. Karli Brabson drove in the first run when she flew a double deep into left field. Wilson followed with an RBI double to the right-center gap. The Lady Rebels got out of the side by picking off Wilson at third.
In the bottom of the first South Greene took the lead with a three-run side. Hensley started things with a walk and Reaves followed it by firing a line drive into left field.
Kortnei Bailey sent a ball back to the pitcher and Eagleton caught Hensley at third. The throw to first for a double play was off target, allowing Reaves to score and Bailey to make it to third. Brobeck walked and Sadie Knowles knocked in two runs for a 3-2 lead when she skipped a ground ball through the right side.
“That first inning was big,” Arrowood said. “They got off to a little bit of a hot start with some big hits, but we made sure to answer and get ourselves back in front. Then we were able to stay in front until the seventh inning.”
The 3-2 lead held until the seventh inning with both defense making the tough plays.
In the fourth inning Eagleton loaded the bases, but a groundout to first ended the threat. South Greene got out of the sixth inning with a 6-4-3 double play, but in the bottom of the same inning the Lady Royals used a double play to end South Greene’s chance at adding to its lead.
Reaves, Knowles, and Hailey Williamson each had two hits for South Greene.
Bailey took the loss for South Greene. In six innings she struck out none, walked eight and allowed eight hits.
Later on Wednesday Eagleton fell to Alcoa 14-0 in the Region 1-2A championship game.
South Greene’s ends the season with a 15-6 record, going unbeaten in District 1-2A play and winning the district tournament.
