Red Bay rolls to county softball championship
Red Bay celebrates its second straight county softball championship. | Scot Beard/FCT
Red Bay faced little opposition on its road to a second straight title in the Franklin County Varsity Softball Tournament.
Yes, the Lady Tigers had to play four games to earn the championship, but they dominated the field by winning four games, outscoring opponents 57-0 and allowing only four hits and nine base runners all weekend.
“I didn’t expect us to play as well as we did,” said Red Bay coach Donnie Roberts. “These girls worked so hard on their hitting.”
The work paid off.
The Lady Tigers knocked off Vina 20-0, Belgreen 15-0, Phil Campbell 15-0 and Phil Campbell again 7-0.
The championship game against the Lady Bobcats was the toughest challenge Red Bay faced during the tournament. It was the only game that went longer than three innings.
During the first three innings, Phil Campbell silenced the powerful Red Bay bats by allowing a single base runner, and that was because pitcher Lindsey Jackson issued a walk.
Phil Campbell had an opportunity to score against Red Bay in the second when Jackson reached on a single.
She was forced out at second when Whitley Yocom reached on a fielder’s choice. Yocom was then retired when she was forced out at second when Sarah Hilliard reached on a fielder’s choice.
Taylor Scott followed by grounding out to end the inning.
The Red Bay defense stiffened and retired the next 15 Lady Bobcat batters.
Whitney Sharp put Red Bay on the scoreboard when she tripled in the fourth inning and scored on a single by Emily Cox. Holly Hammock then hit into a double play to end the inning.
Hannah Sharp led off the fifth inning with a double, stole third and scored on a single by Micala Dulaney. Dulaney then stole second and moved to third on a pass ball.
Dulaney gave the Lady Tigers a 3-0 lead when she scored on a sacrifice by Caitlin Childers.
Whitney Sharp extended the lead when she singled and scored on a triple by Cox, who scored on a sacrifice by Hannah Sharp.
Red Bay added two insurance runs in the seventh with runs from Childers and Lauren Pacetti.
Whitney Sharp struck out all three Phil Campbell batters in the bottom of the seventh to end the game.
“They just hit the ball well,” Phil Campbell coach Darit Riddle said.
Whitney Sharp led the Lady Tigers with two triples, a single and two runs scored. She also pitched seven innings, allowing one hit and striking out eight.
Cox tripled and singled while Pacetti hit a pair of singles. Hannah Sharp doubled while Mariah Horton and Dulaney each singled and Taylor Hester and Childers both reached base on a fielder’s choice.
Jackson had the only hit for Phil Campbell. She took the loss, pitching seven innings and allowing 10 hits.
Phil Campbell 9, Belgreen 0
The Lady Bobcats got two runs each from Amber Chaney and Scott to knock Belgreen out of the tournament and clinch a spot in the championship game.
Chaney led Phil Campbell with a pair of singles while Hilliard tripled and Jessie Halcomb doubled.
Sara McMahan, Bridget Thompson and Loren McVicker all singled for Belgreen.
Belgreen 11, Tharptown 2
Amber Smith and McVicker scored four runs each for Belgreen as the Lady Bulldogs beat Tharptown 11-2, knocking the Lady Wildcats out of the tournament.
Smith had three singles while Katy Britton and McVicker each tripled and singled. Thompson added a single for Belgreen.
Chloe Lane doubled and Casey Mitchell singled for Tharptown.
Red Bay 15, Phil Campbell 0
Pacetti doubled twice and singled while Cox hit a pair of doubles to lead Red Bay past the Lady Bobcats to earn a berth in the championship game and send its area foe to the Losers’ Bracket.
Chaney had the only hit — a single — for Phil Campbell while Caitlin Stancil reached on a fielder’s choice.
Tharptown 18, Vina 6
The Lady Red Devils rallied late, but could not overcome several early runs by Tharptown as the Lady Wildcats eliminated Vina from the tournament.
Chloe Lane, Kalen Smith and Ashley Nicholson scored three runs each for Tharptown.
Claudia Townsend, Brandi White, Casey McKinney, Devyn Childers and Chelsea Darracot all scored for Vina with Darracot scoring twice.
Red Bay 15, Belgreen 0
Pacetti hit three singles and scored three runs while Whitney Sharp singled, doubled, tripled and also scored three runs to help Red Bay send Belgreen to the Losers’ Bracket.
Thompson reached base on a dropped third strike and Katelin Barber singled for the Lady Bulldogs.
Phil Campbell 8, Tharptown 1
Jackson struck out six Tharptown batters to send the Lady Wildcats to the Losers’ Bracket.
Scott and Korina Jimenez both singled twice and scored a run for Phil Campbell.
Heather Hatton scored the lone run for the Lady Wildcats.
Red Bay 20, Vina 0
Pacetti, Whitney Sharp, Hannah Sharp and Horton all scored three runs each to open the tournament with a dominant win for Red Bay.
Townsend singled and Brandy Brooks drew a walk for Vina.
