Chattanooga area's Class A, Division II softball teams win state openers

Baylor's Macy McKnight (20) pitches against Brentwood Academy during the TSSAA Division II-AA softball state tournament's opening round Tuesday in Murfreesboro.
Baylor's Macy McKnight (20) pitches against Brentwood Academy during the TSSAA Division II-AA softball state tournament's opening round Tuesday in Murfreesboro.

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - It was during a timeout, facing a three-run deficit with the bases loaded and no outs in the bottom of the seventh inning, that Sale Creek assistant coach Eric Sullivan called Allison Smith over for a simple piece of advice.

"Be the hero," Sullivan said confidently to the Lady Panthers sophomore who was about to step into the batter's box.

After fouling off two pitches, Smith followed through on her coach's instructions by lining a pitch over the left-field fence for a dramatic walk-off grand slam that gave her team a 7-6 win over Gibson County in the first round of the Class A softball state tournament Tuesday.

"I knew she had been pitching everybody away all day, so that's what I was looking for," Smith said after her third homer of the season and first-ever game-winning hit. "With two strikes I knew I had to make contact, hit it hard and hope. That last pitch I saw was right down the middle, and it felt good as soon as I connected.

"I'm still floating right now. I may not stop smiling all night."

The Lady Panthers, who were last year's state runners-up, were among four Chattanooga-area softball teams to win on the first day of the Spring Fling. Also in the Class A bracket, Whitwell defeated Halls 7-1, while both Baylor and GPS advanced to the winners-bracket final in Division II-AA. The Lady Red Raiders cruised past Brentwood Academy 10-0, and GPS scored all three of its runs in the third inning, then held off a late rally for a 3-2 win over St. Benedict.

Those teams will meet today at 12:30 p.m. EDT with the winner advancing to the DII-AA title game.

Meanwhile both area teams in the public school AA bracket - Marion County and Sequatchie County - lost their tournament openers. Jackson Southside rolled 12-0 in five innings over Marion, and Lexington defeated the Lady Indians 5-3.

Class A

» Sale Creek 7, Gibson County 6: The Lady Panthers had trailed since the second inning until Smith's heroics. Gibson County looked to be in control after scoring three runs in the second, then adding two in the fifth for a three-run lead that it maintained until the home half of the seventh.

Madison Stott went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and Hannah Hall also drove in a run for Sale Creek (30-8), which will face Summertown today at 5.

» Whitwell 7, Halls 1: The Lady Tigers got a four-run fourth inning, then added three insurance runs in the seventh to win their tournament opener for the first time.

"That's a huge step for us, to win that first game, because it's really hard when you have to fight through the losers bracket right out of the gate," said senior pitcher Anna Yell, who allowed just three hits, struck out 10 and also went 2-for-4 with two RBIs.

Hadee Herick drove in two runs and Delanie Merciers also plated a run for the Lady Tigers (27-9), who will face Columbia Academy today at 6:30.

Division II-AA

» Baylor 10, Brentwood Academy 0: The four-time defending state champion Lady Red Raiders took command with a five-run second inning, highlighted by home runs from Brinley Garrison and Sophie Piskos, who finished 2-for-3 with four RBIs. Macy Ann McKnight allowed just three hits and struck out five, while Garrison and Acelyn Sellers each drove in a pair of runs.

» GPS 3, St. Benedict 2: Hannah Sanders earned the pitching win by scattering four hits, and freshman Ansley Blevins drove in a run with a third-inning single.

"We didn't handle the changeup very well, but we got just enough, and all that matters at this point is winning and moving on," said Bruisers coach Susan Crownover. "Hannah battled through some adversity, because we haven't made that many errors (two, officially) behind her all season."

Class AA

» Jackson Southside 12, Marion County 0: The Lady Warriors committed five errors, including three in a four-run first inning as Southside took control early. Marion managed just three total hits off Kayla Beaver, who struck out six.

» Lexington 5, Sequatchie County 3: The Lady Tigers scored two in the bottom of the second, then two more in the fifth, which was plenty of support for pitcher Jacy Weaver. Ella Edgmon and Jesyca Dennis each drove in a run for the Lady Indians.

Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6293. Follow him on Twitter @StephenHargis.

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