A day after 17th-ranked Cleveland nipped No. 3 Walker Valley in 10 innings to earn its first district championship title game and Region 3 berth in more than a quarter-century, the Feisty Fillies fought back to not only down McMinn County, but repay the Lady Raiders, forcing a second District 5-4A title game after presstime Wednesday.
“I'm really proud of our girls for fighting back,” said veteran Herd wrangler Lauren Limburg after the 4-1 win over the Lady Cherokees and 3-2 tally Tuesday to get past Cleveland by the same score the Lady Raiders won by Monday.
“To win two ballgames today against two tough opponents with the pressure on just shows the girls' fight, their heart, their belief in themselves and each other.
"I'm just really proud of them. That was two big wins,” she praised.
Weather permitting, Walker Valley (27-6-1) will once again go against Cleveland (21-14) Wednesday evening for the third time in as many days. Ironically the two rivals have played four times so far this season, evenly splitting the outcomes, with both squads putting 13 runs on the scoreboard.
Depending on weather conditions which are forecast to be potentially on the wet and windy side, if the championship game is unable to be played a course of action will have to be determined, with consideration that Walker Valley has graduation Thursday evening and Cleveland Friday.
While it will be a first this century for Cleveland, Walker Valley will be making it 15th Region 3 Tournament in the last 23 seasons.
The event will start Monday at the of home field of the District 6 champions, either be Bradley Central or East Hamilton, which also has to play a second title game Wednesday. The region championship game will be May 15, with berths to the TSSAA Sectionals on the line.
FEISTY FILLIES 3
LADY RAIDERS 2
After taking the loss Monday's 10-inning marathon, Walker Valley's Ryann Presswood stepped back in the circle — after defeating McMinn — and held the Lady Raiders to four hits, one earned run and a single walk in her second complete game of the day.
The junior struck out six in the a contest, with the only blemish when Lady Raider senior Alexis Folts blasted a home run in the fifth inning.
Ashley Allen took the hard-luck loss for Cleveland, also going the distance. The Roane State signee allowed six hits, two earned runs and no walks, with two Ks.
“I think we're just trying to keep it a little exciting,” said Lady Raider head coach KJ Harris a little tongue-in-cheek. “We played on our heels early. I just don't think we had the same approach at bat.
"We've got to have a specific plan stepping in the box. It's not a free-for-all every single time, but if you make a mistake in an early at bat, you have to make adjustments coming back around. I don't feel like we did that.”
Walker Valley struck first in the bottom of the first inning beginning with Karly Blackwell's infield single.
With one out, Alyssa Davenport delivered an RBI-double to center field scoring Blackwell.
The Feisty Fillies jumped ahead 3-0 in the third with a single by Amy Benson and another RBI-double to left off the bat of Davenport. The Walker Valley third baseman later scored on a wild pitch.
The Lady Raiders cut the lead by one in the top of the fifth when Folts ripped a solo-shot that cleared the centerfield fence to make it a 3-1 game.
Cleveland opened top of the sixth with a single by Landri Nelson, who moved up one bag on an Allison Farnsworth sacrifice bunt and made it 3-2, racing home on a Walker Valley error.
The Fillies got singles from Davenport and Brylie Davis in the bottom half of the sixth, but were shut down by the Lady Raiders.
“Hats off to Walker, it's a good win. I felt like they fought late down the stretch and made some big plays and came up with some big hits,” said Coach Harris. “We'll be ready to go tomorrow, it's not over.”
Walker Valley put a quick end to the long day in the upper half of the seventh as Presswood got a pair of infield fly balls wrapped around a K to seal the win.
“We've still got work to do. We're excited to get to compete tomorrow. But, I can't say enough about out girls. Every single one of them fought to the end,” assessed Coach Limburg.
“'Boogs' (Presswood) and Madi (Oran, the WV catcher) had a great game. Two great ballgames. Our defense backed them up. We got some key hits. They just did a great job, a great job.”
LADY RAIDERS 3
FEISTY FILLIES 2
10 innings
In another battle of two of the best pitchers in the Southeast corner of Tennessee, Cleveland's Lily O'Bryan out dueled Presswood in a 10-inning battle that saw the Lady Raiders take advantage of the international tiebreaker rule in the final frame.
“Lily O'Bryan was a workhorse on the mound. We didn't have our best day at bat, but in postseason it's anybody's night. Tomorrow it could be anybody else's,” said Coach Harris.
“I thought Presswood threw a really good game. I thought they gave us their best. We're happy to be on the winning side.”
O'Bryan's gem consisted of 11 strikeouts in 10 innings, while giving up seven hits. The Furman signee walked four and allowed no earned runs.
Presswood also went the distance, giving up five hits, while fanning 13 Lady Raiders and issuing no free passes.
“That was a good ballgame. We just came up short there at the end,” remarked Coach Limburg. “But, I'm proud of our girls, they fought the entire game.
"'Boogs' pitched a great game and (catcher Madi) Oran called a great game. We just needed a hit there at the end. We had opportunities in those last several innings. We just couldn't push a run across. You have games like that.”
Walker Valley, which edged on a tie-breaker for the tournament's top seed, put the first run on the board in the bottom of the second inning.
Presswood walked and was replaced on first by courtesy runner Addyson Trew, who stole second and later scored on an RBI-double down the left-field line off the bat of freshman Morgan Rice, who went 4-for-4 on the day.
Cleveland answered right back in the top of the third as junior Ja'Maya Hill reached on an error and scored when O'Bryan cracked a run-scoring double to left.
Walker Valley's Madison Thomas reached on a two-out fielder's choice in the fourth. Thomas raced home to make it a 2-1 game on a throw to second trying to catch Rice stealing. Rice reached third when the ball got away, but was left standing.
O'Bryan put the Lady Raiders on her shoulders in the upper half of the sixth as she blasted a line shot over the left-center field fence to knot the score at 2-2.
With neither team able to break the deadlock after nine innings, the international tiebreaker was put into effect as Cleveland came to bat in the upper half of the 10th.
With sophomore Lilly Mason on second, Hill's single to left sent her to third. Mason put Cleveland out front 3-2, scoring on a fielder's choice grounder by senior Reagan Campbell.
The Lady Raiders put the win to bed with a pair of O'Bryan Ks and a ground ball to third for the final out.
“That was actually our first game with the international tiebreaker. Normally we would go in the eighth if it was regular season,” said Coach Harris. "I'm super proud of our fight.”
