The South Greene softball team started fast on Friday night and rode a big early lead to a District 1-2A championship game win over Chuckey-Doak.
The Lady Rebels scored eight runs in the first inning before capturing a 14-4 win that has South Greene back on top of the district for the first time since 2022.
“We picked up right where we left off against West Greene in the semifinals. We were aggressive on offense and we did well in the first two innings,” South Greene assistant coach Joshua Arrowood said. “Some mistakes on the bases took that momentum away, and it was hard to get it going again. Overall though, we did what we had do to finish it out and get the win. The girls are in the right mindset right now and they are doing the things we need to do to win.”
Both teams move on to the Region 1-2A Tournament where South Greene will host Eagleton on Monday in the semifinals, and Chuckey-Doak will travel to Alcoa. Monday’s winners will advance to the region championship game on Wednesday.
“Monday we’ll have Eagleton here on and we have to come ready to play,” Arrowood said. “It’s a win or go home game. If we take care of business Monday it guarantees us two more games. All we want is a chance to keep playing.”
Friday’s first inning began with South Greene putting a lot of balls in play while making aggressive moves on the base path to score eight runs. Whitney Reaves got things going by firing a groundball past the third baseman. After a steal Kortnei Bailey knocked in the day’s first run when she pounded a line drive into left field.
Paisley Brobeck hit into an infield error and Bailey never let up while rounding third to score the side’s second run. Brobeck scored on a wild pitch before Regan Arrowood launched a two-run double into deep left field.
Hailey Williamson reached on a single through the left side, and boldly went to second with the ball in the infield. Madison Hensley scored Arrowood with a groundball that deflected off of third base. Reaves then earned her second hit of the frame when sent a double deep into left field, after Hensley scored Reaves ended up third base on the play.
The inning came to a merciful end, but not before South Greene claimed an 8-0 lead. Bailey hit a dribbler in foul territory on the left side. Reaves innocently stopped the ball with her foot to return it to the defense, and was called out for interference.
“These girls came out with the most confidence I’ve seen from them all year,” Arrowood said. “They were ready to play today, they were excited to play today, and it showed in that first inning.”
The Lady Rebels scored four more runs in the second inning to take a 12-0 lead. Bailey came back to the plate and walked in five pitches. Brobeck put down a bunt single, and with some aggressive play on the base path both runners reached scoring position. Sadie Knowles knocked in the first run with a groundball to the left side and Arrowood made 10-0 with a sacrifice fly to right field.
Macy Roberts ripped a line drive through the right side for an RBI single, and she scored on a bases-loaded walk.
Chuckey-Doak found some life on offense in the third frame. Jayden Myers fired a line drive into centerfield and she scored when Saniah Atchison sent a groundball up the middle. The ball was thrown away at first and Atchison made it all the way to third base.
Hayleigh Seidl closed the gap to 12-2 with a line drive to left field.
The Lady Black Knights cut the lead to 12-4 in the fifth inning, and held off the run rule for one inning. Seidl hammered a line drive into the left-field corner for a two-run double that scored Maura Phillips and Atchison.
In the sixth inning South Greene scored the final two runs to end the game early. Knowles led off the inning by dropping a pop up short of the second baseman and reaching on a single. Roberts scored Knowles on a hard ground ball through the right side, but she was eliminated trying to go to second base on the play.
Williams scored the final run of the day when she made it in from second on a line drive that Reaves sent to the left side that was dropped.
Reaves finished the day 2-for-4 with a double and three RBIs for the Lady Rebels. Roberts went 2-for-4. South Greene earned seven hits on Friday, but took advantage of three walks, four hit batters and six errors.
Seidl was 2-for-3 with a double and three RBIs for the Lady Knights.
Bailey earned the win in six innings of work. She struck out six, walked two and allowed five hits.
