HIGH SCHOOL TEAM PAGES DAVID CROCKETT

Fox, Weems Lead First-Place Lady Pioneers to Shut Out of D-B

Fox, Weems Lead First-Place Lady Pioneers to Shut Out of D-B
David Crockett catcher Sydney Fox cracked a three-run homer against the Lady Indians. TriCitiesSports.com photo by Melvin Barbour.
by BRYAN MOORE
TriCitiesSports.com
April 23, 2018

KINGSPORT, Tenn. -- David Crockett showed why it's leading the way in the Big Seven softball standings when the Lady Pioneers traveled to Kingsport Monday afternoon to square off against conference foe Dobyns-Bennett.

Kara Weems allowed five hits and struck out 13 while Sydney Fox smacked a three-run home run to power Crockett to a 7-0 victory over D-B at Indian Highland Park to remain in first place in the Big Seven.

"I just thought we came out hitting the ball well today," noted Crockett coach Carla Weems. "I was real excited. Morgan (Riffle) is a great pitcher and we just started hitting her right off the bat. So it makes you feel good when you have a few runs to go on your defense."

The Lady Pioneers (8-1, 21-8) held a 1-0 advantage in a pitching duel between ace hurlers, Weems and Riffle, heading into the top of the fourth inning.

Weems reached on an error to begin the frame. Courtesy runner Haley Arrowood came around and scored on Riley Hope's double. Maddie Roy's single plated Hope. That set the stage for the big blow delivered by Fox. 

The Crockett catcher cleared the bases with a no-doubt three-run shot that easily cleared the fence in left center field despite the windy conditions. When the uprising was over the Lady Pioneers were up 6-0.

"Well, I came off two hits by pitch," recalled Fox with a laugh. "I was absolutely ready to get back at it. I just thought in my head what I had to do and I just hit it. It was an awesome hit.

"It felt good. I didn't know that it was gone but I knew it was a solid hit."

"They hit it and we didn't," explained D-B skipper Andy Hubbard. "I thought their pitcher threw really well. That one inning we couldn't get them out. Everybody hit. They're a good hitting team, like Boone. Them and Boone are a lot alike."

"I don't think we played bad. We just didn't play up to their level."

The run support was more than enough for Weems, who has thrown two no-hitters so far this season, including one against the Lady Indians in their first meeting. 

"She's been doing very well," Weems said of her star pitcher. "That's a little bit more strikeouts than she's been having. She's been cutting down on her walks. She's doing better with that."

"Every pitch that I had was really working for me today," added the pitcher. "But my off-speed curve ball was working a lot today and my rise ball was working so that was pretty good to have them working against these hitters."

Weems surrendered only five singles while walking only three.

"I was feeling good today," stated Weems. "I went to the doctor earlier and got a steroid shot so that helped a little bit. I felt really good about it by coming out and playing my game."

Weems and her teammates have been battling illness lately and are looking to get healthy for the upcoming postseason. The Lady Indians (2-8, 14-12) also are trying to get healthy by waking up their dormant bats and snap a losing streak, which has stretched to eight games.

In an effort to shake things up, Hubbard experimented by inserting some of his younger players. Freshmen Makalia Collier and Kierstyn Judd got base hits while sophomore southpaw Kassidy Miller relieved Riffle and gave up only three hits and one run, which was unearned.

"Maybe we'll get some competition going and play harder," said Hubbard. "We've been working hard in practice. We just can't put it together in a game. It's frustrating. They're working at it. Good things will happen to us if we keep working at it."

D-B travels to Rogersville Tuesday afternoon for a meeting with Cherokee while Crockett will meet arch-rival Daniel Boone in Gray with first place--and the top seed in the upcoming district tournament--at stake.

"Technically, we're in first place," Weems commented. "Boone is still a strong team. We play them tomorrow. Right now, I'm happy with the way my girls are playing. I'm excited."

David Crockett
010
501
0
--
7
12
0
Dobyns-Bennett
000
000
0
--
0
5
3
 
Crockett—Kara Weems and Sydney Fox. D-B—Morgan Riffle, Kassidy Miller (5) and McCoy Hensley. W—Weems L—Riffle. 2B—Crockett 3 (Matty McKee, Riley Hope, Lenzie Jenkins). RBI—Crockett 6 (Sydney Fox, Riley Hope, Alyssa Suits, Maddie Roy). SB—Crockett 6 (Riley Hope, Lenzie Jenkins, Sydney Fox, Alyssa Suits, Matty McKee, Maddie Roy). LOB—Crockett 8; D-B 8.

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