District 1-1A
Unaka – North Greene and Cloudland faced off in the winners’ bracket of the District 1-1A softball tournament Thursday evening, looking to advance to the finals and secure a spot in next week’s regional tournament.
North Greene’s Hannah Brooks and Cloudland’s Reagan Yurbyfill both stepped into the circle and looked to control their opponents bats. Both did a marvelous job, but it was Brooks and the Lady Huskies who would stand tall with the 2-0 victory.
Brooks controlled both the offensive and defensive side of the game. She went the distance throwing the shut-out while allowing only 2 hits and collecting 13 strike-outs. On the offensive side of things, she picked up 3 of North Greene’s 4 hits (all singles) and drove in both runs in the third inning.
Cloudland will face off with Unaka at 5:00 on Friday in an elimination game, while North Greene awaits the winner at 7:00. Should an extra game be needed, it would be played Saturday afternoon at 1:00
District 2-3A
Herrogate – The Greeneville Lady Devil’s softball team fell into the loser’s bracket due to a 7-6 setback at the hands of the Grainger Lady Griz on Tuesday evening and had to wait an extra day due to torrential rains before stepping back on the field.
The Lady Devils left no doubt that they were looking for a rematch with Grainger as they scored six runs in the first two innings enroute to an 11-1 pounding of Claiborne in an elimination game. Lauren Million led the hitting attack going 3 for 4 with a home-run and a double and driving in 3. Kyla Jobe followed suit with a home-run and a single, while Madison Carpenter collected 2 singles.
Leah Phillips went the distance giving up only 1 run on 4 hits while striking out 5 and walking 2. The win would not only set up a rematch with the Lady Griz, but it would also solidify a spot in the Region 1-3A tournament next week.
Greeneville went up 3-0 after the first inning of the finals, as Madison Carpenter singled and Lauren Million walked with one out. Lydia Darnell reached on an infield single to score Carpenter, while Million advanced to third. Kaylee Garland stepped to the plate and drove a double to left, scoring both Million and Darnell.
Addi Lamons led off the second with a solo homer to left, followed by a triple from Stone Rader. Rader however, would be left stranded at third and the Lady Devils were up 4-0 headed to the bottom of the second.
Grainger cut into Greeneville’s lead in the bottom of the second with 2 runs, behind a single from Jaylee Hayes, followed by two walks and a couple of passed balls.
The Lady Devils picked up single runs in the fourth and fifth innings, only to see the Lady Griz explode with 6 runs in the bottom of the fifth to take the lead 8-6.
Greeneville looked to regain control of the contest in the top of the sixth as Lamons started the inning with a single to center, advanced to second on an error, and scored on a Rader double. Kyla Jobe reached on a bunt single, but Rader had to hold at third. After Jobe was allowed to advance on a defensive indifference, Madison Carpenter came through with a 2-run single to left, giving the Lady Devils the 9-8 lead, once again.
Hayes put Grainger on her back and collected her third hit of the game in the bottom of the seventh. This one would be a solo homer off of Leah Phillips, who worked 3 2/3 innings of relief, to tie the game up at 9-9. After surrendering two more singles, Phillips would retire the side and send the game to extra innings.
In the extra frame, Rader would be hit by a pitch and Jobe would reach on her second bunt single of the game. Carpenter came through once again with an RBI single to center, giving her team the 10-9 advantage. Greeneville would score 4 more runs and then hold Grainger scoreless to win the contest 14-9 and set up a winner take all game at Grainger on Saturday morning at 9:00.
