HIGH SCHOOL

Siegel softball edges Oakland to stay perfect

Tom Kreager
tkreager@dnj.com

MURFREESBORO –Siegel ace Veronica Westfall picked up steam as the innings moved on Tuesday afternoon.

And the Lady Stars provided just enough offense to stay perfect.

Siegel edged rival Oakland 3-2 at Nelson Smotherman Field to enter the halfway mark of the season perfect.

"It does really mean much (to be in first)," said Siegel catcher KaraLynne Levi, who went 2-for-3 with a double. "Everybody is out to get us. We can't lie down. It's not over.

"We're usually the hunters. Now we are the hunted."

Tied at 2 in the top of the seventh, Levi led off with a single. Courtesy runner Brittany Hall was then sacrificed to second by MacKenzie McMahan. One out later, Cede Loftis roped a double to center field past a diving Hannah McCravy to score Hall.

And Westfall did the rest.

Westfall, who finished with 12 strikeouts and two walks, struck out the first two batters she faced in the seventh before leadoff Lacie Rinus, the Lady Patriots' ace, walked. But McCravy lined out to Ciera Purvis to end the game.

"I just go in there and pitch what I can," Westfall said. "I just try to be be confident in what I throw."

Siegel (12-0, 6-0 in 7-AAA) took a 1-0 lead in the first when Purvis singled, stole second and scored on Levi's double.

But Oakland (7-7, 3-3) came back with two in the fourth to take a 2-1 lead.

Abby Sargent hit a one-out single to start it. One out later, Holly Shirey singled, which was followed by Gracie Kirby's single that scored Kelsey Boyle, who was running for Sargent.

Lindsay Randolph then beat out a bunt for a single to load the bases for pinch hitter Maleia Gray, who was hit by a pitch to score Shirey.

"It was a tough-fought game," Oakland coach Janice Morey said. "We've had some ups and downs with some injuries.

'But I was proud of our girls. We're continuing to work through it."

Gray had been out of the lineup due to a knee injury.

And Birmingham-Southern signee Savannah Lee is out for the season with a torn ACL.

Siegel tied the game in the fifth when Purvis hit a one-out single, stole second and scored on Eleiyah Wade's bases loaded walk.

"We work hard, doing 6 a.m. workouts," Siegel coach Perry Lyons. "I told the girls, this is what that time is for now."

Contact Tom Kreager at 615-278-5168 or tkreager@dnj.com. Follow him on Twitter @Kreager.

Siegel 3, Oakland 2

Siegel 100 010 1 – 3 7 0

Oakland 000 200 0 – 2 5 0

Veronica Westfall and KaraLynne Levi. Lacie Rinus and Michelle Williams. WP: Westfall (10-0). LP: Rinus.

DISTRICT 7-AAA STANDINGS

Team

Conf.

All

Siegel

6-0

12-0-0

Riverdale

5-1

11-4-0

Stewarts Creek

3-2

11-4-1

Oakland

3-3

7-7

Smyrna

2-3

4-8

Blackman

1-5

2-8

La Vergne

0-6

0-10

Tuesday's Scores

Siegel 3, Oakland 2

Riverdale 13, Blackman 0