The Sale Creek Lady Panthers made it three straight District 5-A softball tournament titles in a row Wednesday afternoon as they beat the Copper Basin Lady Cougars for the second time this week, but the second time was much closer than the first.
Playing the championship game at the O’Mary-Conard Field located at Lookout Valley Elementary, the Lady Panthers were pretty sure that they wouldn’t run-rule the Lady Cougars like they did on Monday, but they were still good enough to prevail with a 7-5 victory, improving to 14-6 for the season.
Sale Creek coach Kristen Dodson has watched a continual improvement for a team used to going deep in post-season play and she’s just hoping the tradition continues after her team won its 11th game in the last 12.
“I’m just glad we kept at it. We had the one bad inning where we let them get back in it, but we were able to come back and that’s all that mattered,” Dodson said standing just outside the Sale Creek dugout following the trophy presentations.
“Overall, I thought we hit the ball well and we had some really great defensive plays that saved us, but I’m tickled with the way we played as we get to host a region game on Monday. But take away that one inning and this is a totally different game, but I can promise you we’ll be ready to play on Monday,” she concluded with a smile.
Copper Basin is now 16-12 following Wednesday’s game and coach Lindsey Hyatt was just happy to see her team keep battling, even when they were down early in the game.
“I can’t tell you how proud I am of these girls for the way they came back. We knew that the key for a win today was to play errorless defense and get key hits and we did that for the most part,” she began following the game.
“We’ve never been to a region before, but this is the most wins we’ve ever had in one season, We’ve accomplished a lot this season and I’m so proud for all they’ve done,” she added.
After a scoreless first for the Lady Cougars, the Lady Panthers didn’t waste any time taking the lead.
Winning pitcher Lexie Raines led off with a single before Brooke Williford did the same. Both advanced a base on a wild pitch. Raines scored the first run on a groundout by Jasmyn Garner while courtesy runner Kaylen Guffey scooted home on another groundout by Madi Beene.
Copper Basin pitcher Destiny Pittman escaped without further damage. Sale Creek didn’t score in the second, but they sent eight hitters to the plate in the third and increased the lead to 6-0 with four more runs. Cassie Wilson drove in the first two with a single while the next two scored on a triple down the line in left by Kenzie Baker.
Copper Basin was down 6-0 at this point and things weren’t looking good as they had two baserunners and no hits through the first three innings, but they made some positive things happen in the fourth.
Angie Graves and Pittman both walked with one out before Samantha Ware drove in Graves with a single up the middle. Kendra Deal reached on an infield boot to load the bases, setting the stage for a two-run single by Riley Akens.
Taylee Hall then drove in the fourth run with another single and all of a sudden, momentum was on Copper Basin’s side with still a lot of softball to be played.
Graves reached with two outs in the fifth after getting hit by a pitch and later scored on another single by Ware to make it 6-5, but that was as close as the Lady Cougars would get as Sale Creek added another run in the bottom of the fifth. Williford’s single drove in Baker with two outs for a little breathing room.
Wilson, who had relieved Raines in the fifth and allowed the one run in that inning, was near-perfect in the final two innings as she retired the side in order in the sixth. Alexis Hyatt reached on an error with two outs in the seventh, but she induced Graves into a liner at Jalyn Hammons at second for the final out.
Hammons and Baker both had three hits for Sale Creek as the Lady Panthers finished the game with 13. Wilson and Williford both had two hits for the winners.
Ware was the only Copper Basin player with two hits as the Lady Cougars finished with five for the game.
While Raines was the winner, Pittman took the loss after going the distance for the Lady Cougars.
While Sale Creek will host the loser of Thursday’s game between Whitwell and South Pittsburg in the region semifinal on Monday, Copper Basin will travel to the winner of that game on Monday.
Sale Creek’s Raines was voted Player of the Year and was one of five Lady Panthers chosen as All-District 5-A. Other Sale Creek players included Williford, Garner, Beene and Sam Marler. Five players from Copper Basin included Riley Hall, Taylee Hall, Hyatt, Graves and Pittman while Lookout Valley’s four included Jordan Addison, Kelsey Ford, Skye Eddington and Bridgette Rollins. Sale Creek’s Dodson was honored as the Coach of the Year.
COPPER BASIN 000 410 0 – 5 5 1
SALE CREEK 204 010 x – 7 13 3
Pittman and Akens; Raines, Wilson (5) and Williford.
(Email John Hunt at nomarathonmoose@gmail.com)