Baylor tops GPS 5-3 in 'kind of ugly' softball game [photos]

Baylor third baseman Sophie Piskos (23) chases after a popup foul ball during the Girls Preparatory School's softball game against Baylor Friday, April 13, 2018 at Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tenn.
Baylor third baseman Sophie Piskos (23) chases after a popup foul ball during the Girls Preparatory School's softball game against Baylor Friday, April 13, 2018 at Baylor School in Chattanooga, Tenn.

Friday's TSSAA Division II-AA East/Middle Region softball game between Baylor and GPS was an uncharacteristic one, considering at least one of the schools has played in the state final every year since 2003. But it was every bit as competitive as usual.

Host Baylor did not lead until the bottom of the sixth inning, and it had to hold off a seventh-inning challenge to defeat the Bruisers 5-3.

"It was kind of ugly," said GPS coach Susan Crownover, whose team is 17-2 and 1-1 in the region. "They capitalized more on the ugly than we did."

Said Baylor coach Kelli Smith, whose team is also 17-2 but 3-0 in the league: "After two innings there were like four errors. Very atypical of these two teams."

Each team did have an error apiece in each of the first two innings, but the Lady Red Raiders didn't need any help in their three-run sixth.

With the score 2-2, Ashton Bazzell lined a triple into the right-field corner. Cheyenne Lindsey later doubled in two and Sophie Piskos plated her with a double.

Ace Sellers ended up the winning pitcher, but she hit two batters in the seventh and another reached base on a throwing error in between. Smith then brought in Macy Ann McKnight, who induced a bouncer to third. Piskos stepped on the base and threw to first for a double play, conceding a run. Still with the tying run in the batter's box, McKnight earned the save by getting another grounder to Piskos.

"I think any truly good hitting team that runs through that order around three times is able to make the adjustment," Smith said. "I have a lot of confidence in Macy Ann and Acelyn. I thought it was just time they see something different. There's so little room for error when you have to face Haley Smith, Shelby (Walters) and Hannah (Sanders), all proven home run hitters.

"The start of the last inning didn't shape up the way we wanted, which is why I made the pitching change. Obviously Sophie's great double play kind of sparked us a little bit."

The only run losing pitcher Walters allowed before the fifth was in the third, when Baylor didn't even have a hit. But Walters walked two that inning and there was a dropped fly to get things started.

"The basic fundamental stuff, we just didn't do very well today," said Crownover, whose team's variety of blunders also included some on the basepaths and a missed sign in the batter's box. "That puts lots and lots of extra pressure on your pitcher. And she got hit on her pitching hand in her first at-bat. That didn't help. I thought she pitched a heck of a game after getting hit in the hand. She battled. I thought she pitched pretty darn well. We didn't help her any."

Sellers was 2-for-2 for Baylor with an RBI. Piskos ended up 2-for-4 and also scored a run.

Elizabeth Warwick went 2-for-3, including a home run leading off the fifth, and scored all the Bruisers' runs. GPS did get a defensive gem from left fielder Abbie Reel, who turned a diving catch in the fifth with runners on third and second into an inning-ending double play.

GPS first baseman Ariana Whatley injured an ankle making an awkward step when she arrived to third base in the fourth. She needed assistance leaving the field after the game.

Contact Kelley Smiddie at ksmiddie@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6653. Follow him on Twitter @KelleySmiddie.

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