Lady 'Blazers Explode for Seven in Sixth to Win at Science Hill
by TREY WILLIAMSTriCitiesSports.com
April 25, 2018
JOHNSON CITY – Just when a photo finish appeared to be coming into focus, Daniel Boone’s softball team blurred the picture at Science Hill with a seven-run frame.
Megan Ackerman and Ashlyn Matherly each delivered key hits while the Trailblazers broke a 3-3 tie with seven runs in the top of the sixth and Boone recorded a 10-3 victory Wednesday at Metro Kiwanis Park.
The ‘Blazers (9-1, 25-12) moved a half-game ahead of rival David Crockett atop the Big Seven Conference standings. Science Hill fell to 7-4 in the league and 22-10 overall.
Boone will attempt to avenge its lone league loss when it plays Crockett on Wednesday.
Science Hill appeared intent on knocking Boone out of first place in the early going. It was Senior Day, and Hilltoppers first baseman Mia Edwardson celebrated in the bottom of the first by following leadoff batter Kasey Bennett’s single with a two-run home run.
Boone answered with a three-run fourth – a frame that was capped by a two-out, two-run home run from Greyson Stevens, and included an RBI single from Kayla Hubbard.
Science Hill tied the score in the bottom of the fifth on Mackenzie Powell’s solo home run with two outs, setting the stage for Boone’s improbable outburst in the sixth. Trailblazers coach Jeremy Jenkins was pleased with the response after Powell’s clutch home run had swung momentum.
“And then to come out and to hit around in that inning says a lot for our kids and the approach they took up there,” Jenkins said. “I thought all of our kids had some really good at-bats, grinded some at-bats out. I thought Kayla Hubbard had two really good at-bats for us. Megan stayed hot for us.”
Ackerman had a two-run double and Matherly delivered a two-run single in the sixth. That was more than enough for Nickolette Ferguson, who went the distance for the victory on the mound. Ferguson allowed seven hits, walked two and struck out three – an unlikely line after the ‘Toppers began the bottom of the first with three straight hard-hit balls.
“They jumped on the first pitch,” Jenkins said. “After that I thought that she kind of settled down. She got her changeup going today and had it going pretty good. After the first inning I thought she settled down and threw really well against a good, quality team and the wind blowing out up here. And it being Senior Day and Mia’s as good a player as there is in this area.
“I’m proud of her. She’s had a little tough luck here the last couple times out.”
The left-handed batting Stevens gave Boone a 3-2 lead in the fourth when she lined a two-out, 0-1 pitch over the left-center field fence for a two-run home run.
“I’ve been struggling a little bit,” Stevens said. “So I was shaken up. I took time to regroup myself. Then it was coming in slow motion, so I swung as hard as I possibly could. The bat did the rest.
“I can never really tell if it’s gone, but it did feel very, very good.”
She added an RBI single in the sixth and finished 2-for-3 with two runs and three RBIs.
“She’ll tell you she’s been struggling in the conference and been taking too many pitches,” Jenkins said. “We want her driving in runs and today she drove in three – with a big home run. If we can get her going behind our others I like our lineup.”
Indeed, Ackerman was 2-for-3 with two runs and two RBIs. Hubbard was also 2-for-3 and Jaycie Jenkins and Ferguson were each 2-for-4. In the sixth inning alone, Jenkins was 2-for-2 with an RBI double and a run.
Boone produced seven of its 11 hits during the sixth.
“It was a great, great game,” said interim Science Hill manager Bob Dempsey (head coach Jerry Higgins has missed a significant portion of the season due to his wife’s health). “We were punching each other in the mouth for five innings, and then they just got out there and started squaring it up. I mean anything we threw in there they hit it. And we hadn’t been hit like that all year long.
“Sometimes you just tip your hat to ‘em and say, ‘Okay, you did a great job.’ Next time we’ll try to shut ‘em down a little better, maybe make a little better pitch here and there.”
Boone’s defense showed flashes too, including when Jenkins made a backhanded pickup on a sharply hit ball by Powell look easy before making a strong, accurate throw for the assist.
Science Hill second baseman Shayna Price made two long running catches on pop-ups.
Edwardson finished 1-for-3 with an intentional walk. The home run was her 15th of the season and the 38th career blast for the Walters State signee. Edwardson is Science Hill’s first all-state player (TSWA) since assistant coach Ashleigh Jackson made the team in 2006.
“Mia’s had a great career here – a great career,” Dempsey said. “She’s a great kid and I look for her to go on and be very successful at the next level.”
Science Hill’s other seniors are center fielder Allison Taylor and Rachel Flanary. The senior trio spoke briefly to their head coach prior to the game. Higgins, who is in Birmingham, watched the Senior Day pregame ceremony by phone while his wife was in surgery.
“Allison is a top-notch student and she’s going to Georgia Tech,” Dempsey said. “And there’s no doubt in my mind she’ll have a great career in whatever she wants to do.
“Rachel has worked and worked. She hasn’t got a whole lot of playing time but she’s stuck with us and stayed around us and she’s funny and the girls like her. She’s been a great teammate. All three of ‘em (the seniors) – you can’t say a bad thing about ‘em.”
Daniel Boone | 000 | 307 | 0 | -- | 10 | 11 | 0 |
Science Hill | 200 | 010 | 0 | -- | 3 | 7 | 1 |
Ferguson and Hubbard. Neas, West (6) and Holt. W—Ferguson. L—Neas. HR—Boone: Stevens (4th, one on, two out); Science Hill: Edwardson (1st, one on, no outs), Powell (5th, none on, two outs).