Lady Vikings Flex Muscle, Claim District 1-AAA Title
It took a minute, but Tennessee High's softball team flexed some serious muscle Thursday night, exploding for a pair of major innings to run away with an 11-1 victory over David Crockett and claim the District 1-AAA championship at Rotary Park.
Both teams have qualified for next week's Region 1-AAA tournament, which begins Monday.
Crockett actually earned its regional berth a couple hours before losing to the Vikings, when the second-seeded Pioneers got a no-hitter from freshman Madelyn Dulaney to beat third-seeded Elizabethton 7-0 in a loser's bracket elimination game.
Tennessee High, the Upper Lakes Conference champ with a spotless league record, had secured its regional berth when it beat the Pioneers 5-1 in Tuesday's winner's bracket final.
In the rematch, Crockett (21-15) just couldn't keep step with the top-seeded Vikings, but second-year Tennessee High coach David Boggs gave the Pioneers a pass.
"That's a good ball team over there, we just got the bats going," Boggs said. "They come in here and turned around and had to play a second game, I mean, hats off to them."
Birthday girl Carly Compton pretty much took care of the Pioneers this go 'around, delivering her usual stellar effort in the circle for Tennessee High and biding her time until the Vikings could get their offense in gear. And when they did, they were relentless.
Abby Haga starred offensively for the Vikings, highlighting both THS outbursts with a pair of two-run doubles, good for four RBIs.
Addison Glover stood tall as well, especially with a two-run home run that woke up the slumbering Tennessee High bats.
"She did, she really did," Boggs said. "She's going to be a phenom down the road, you know."
Crockett had taken a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Brylee Tulllock lined a double off the fence in left field and Laney Britton followed with a bloop double, but Compton didn't flinch.
A 5-foot-11 right-hander who is a University of North Carolina commit, Compton is in her first season with the top-seeded Vikings, but the transfer student knows to trust her teammates.
"We always come in, the offense always comes in," said Compton, who was set to play for Tri-Cities Christian Academy this spring, but the Eagles did not have enough players to field a team and the junior was granted a hardship waiver by the TSSAA to immediately become eligible at Tennessee High. "And I know as long as I do my job and keep doing my job like I'm supposed to, I know that everything is going to play out."
And she was right. The Vikings blasted off for six runs in the fourth inning, launched by the two-run blast by Glover, a lined laser out of left field to make it a 2-1 game. Just a freshman, Glover also started THS's five-run fifth frame with a line-drive single.
"Addison Glover steps in there, you know, and she pulls off a couple of real shots for us tonight, a freshman, you know," Boggs said. "She kind of got thrown into the lineup there at the end, starting for this tournament. She stepped up, took care of business.
"We haven't had to use her a whole lot and that's a high-pressure deal (when) we threw her in there tonight and she stepped up and responded. Very proud of her."
Up 2-1, THS started to pile it on losing pitcher Cara Wilson, who had blanked the powerful Vikings (22-4) for three frames before suddenly running into the buzzsaw.
A ground-ball error and a walk issued by Wilson preceded Haga's first double, a shot off the fence in right center, and the Vikings were off and running with a 4-1 advantage. Two more infield miscues by the otherwise sure-handed Pioneers quickly made it a 6-1 game.
"This whole ball team, I mean, they're one big family," Boggs said. "You know, they stay behind each other and push and they just don't want to be the one to let their other down."
Haga also doubled in the five-run fifth, upping Tennessee High's lead to 8-1.
Crockett went to its bullpen soon thereafter, but the damage was already done.
Addie Wilhoit and Macie Strouth each had three of THS's 10 base hits, and both drove in a run. Strouth's third hit brought the mercy rule into effect with one out in the bottom of the fifth.
Kaylie Hughes and Katy Granger each reached base three times and both scored twice for the Vikings. Hughes, who drew three walks, was robbed of an extra-base hit by Crockett center fielder Julie Maupin to lead off the Tennessee High home half of the first.
"Wow," Boggs allowed. "That's ESPN stuff."
Pioneer right fielder Laney Britton also made a terrific catch early in the game to help hold down the Vikings, who eventually found enough holes to overcome Crockett's best defensive efforts.
On the other end, Compton was unhittable after allowing those two doubles in the first inning. She retired the last 13 batters she faced, striking out four straight at one point. She finished with 10 strikeouts and no walks across five innings.
Initially a transfer from Tazewell, where she pitched the Bulldogs to the state 2A championship last spring, Compton is now supported by stars like Wilhoit and Haga, among others.
"Carly said it best when she first came over here, we started talking about it," Boggs said. "Where she's played at, in the past, a lot of times she's had to be a big part of the team, and she is obviously a huge part of this team. But she's got a lot of talent around her (this season) and it takes a lot of pressure off of her, frees her up to do things and relax a little bit."
Compton is a spirited competitor who carries an obvious air of confidence while working.
"She is one fiery young lady -- sometimes we have to rein her in just a little bit," Boggs said. "But she's very humble, she's very sportsmanlike. She just gets fired up."
But what about that slow walk around the circle before delivering her pitches?
"We started calling her 'Peacock,' " Boggs said with a chuckle. "Because, whether she's pitching good or things are going her way or not, she's got a little strut about her. And she needs that and that's good. She's confident and she doesn't let things rattle her."
Crockett coach Alex Dulaney can attest to Compton's brilliance, having lost to the Vikings four times in four attempts. But his team left Rotary Park knowing it had more softball to play.
"All of them were close until this one," Dulaney said. "Coming out of the loser's bracket just makes it tougher, but hats off to Tennessee High. They earned that spot and they played well."
While the Pioneers must take to the highway to open Region 1-AAA play, Tennessee High will be at home. Both teams play Monday, with the regional final set for Wednesday.
"I'm going to say we'll (both) be right back on this field again Wednesday," Boggs said.
The District 2-AAA tournament, plagued by rain, will produce Tennessee High's and Crockett's regional opponents. Greeneville met Claiborne in the loser's bracket final, with the winner to join Grainger in the region field. Grainger currently sits unbeaten in the District 2 tournament.
David Crockett – Cara Wilson, Natalie Dunbar (5) and A Orren. Tennessee High - Carly Compton and Abby Haga. W – Carly Compton, L - Cara Wilson. 2B – Brylee Tullock, David Crockett; Laney Britton, David Crockett; Abby Haga, Tennessee High. HR – Addison Glover, Tennessee High (one on in 4th). RBI – David Crockett 1 (Laney Britton); Tennessee High 9 (Abby Haga 4, Addison Glover 2, Macie Strouth, Carly Compton, Addie Wilhoit).
Both teams have qualified for next week's Region 1-AAA tournament, which begins Monday.
Crockett actually earned its regional berth a couple hours before losing to the Vikings, when the second-seeded Pioneers got a no-hitter from freshman Madelyn Dulaney to beat third-seeded Elizabethton 7-0 in a loser's bracket elimination game.
Tennessee High, the Upper Lakes Conference champ with a spotless league record, had secured its regional berth when it beat the Pioneers 5-1 in Tuesday's winner's bracket final.
In the rematch, Crockett (21-15) just couldn't keep step with the top-seeded Vikings, but second-year Tennessee High coach David Boggs gave the Pioneers a pass.
"That's a good ball team over there, we just got the bats going," Boggs said. "They come in here and turned around and had to play a second game, I mean, hats off to them."
Birthday girl Carly Compton pretty much took care of the Pioneers this go 'around, delivering her usual stellar effort in the circle for Tennessee High and biding her time until the Vikings could get their offense in gear. And when they did, they were relentless.
Abby Haga starred offensively for the Vikings, highlighting both THS outbursts with a pair of two-run doubles, good for four RBIs.
Addison Glover stood tall as well, especially with a two-run home run that woke up the slumbering Tennessee High bats.
"She did, she really did," Boggs said. "She's going to be a phenom down the road, you know."
Crockett had taken a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Brylee Tulllock lined a double off the fence in left field and Laney Britton followed with a bloop double, but Compton didn't flinch.
A 5-foot-11 right-hander who is a University of North Carolina commit, Compton is in her first season with the top-seeded Vikings, but the transfer student knows to trust her teammates.
"We always come in, the offense always comes in," said Compton, who was set to play for Tri-Cities Christian Academy this spring, but the Eagles did not have enough players to field a team and the junior was granted a hardship waiver by the TSSAA to immediately become eligible at Tennessee High. "And I know as long as I do my job and keep doing my job like I'm supposed to, I know that everything is going to play out."
And she was right. The Vikings blasted off for six runs in the fourth inning, launched by the two-run blast by Glover, a lined laser out of left field to make it a 2-1 game. Just a freshman, Glover also started THS's five-run fifth frame with a line-drive single.
"Addison Glover steps in there, you know, and she pulls off a couple of real shots for us tonight, a freshman, you know," Boggs said. "She kind of got thrown into the lineup there at the end, starting for this tournament. She stepped up, took care of business.
"We haven't had to use her a whole lot and that's a high-pressure deal (when) we threw her in there tonight and she stepped up and responded. Very proud of her."
Up 2-1, THS started to pile it on losing pitcher Cara Wilson, who had blanked the powerful Vikings (22-4) for three frames before suddenly running into the buzzsaw.
A ground-ball error and a walk issued by Wilson preceded Haga's first double, a shot off the fence in right center, and the Vikings were off and running with a 4-1 advantage. Two more infield miscues by the otherwise sure-handed Pioneers quickly made it a 6-1 game.
"This whole ball team, I mean, they're one big family," Boggs said. "You know, they stay behind each other and push and they just don't want to be the one to let their other down."
Haga also doubled in the five-run fifth, upping Tennessee High's lead to 8-1.
Crockett went to its bullpen soon thereafter, but the damage was already done.
Addie Wilhoit and Macie Strouth each had three of THS's 10 base hits, and both drove in a run. Strouth's third hit brought the mercy rule into effect with one out in the bottom of the fifth.
Kaylie Hughes and Katy Granger each reached base three times and both scored twice for the Vikings. Hughes, who drew three walks, was robbed of an extra-base hit by Crockett center fielder Julie Maupin to lead off the Tennessee High home half of the first.
"Wow," Boggs allowed. "That's ESPN stuff."
Pioneer right fielder Laney Britton also made a terrific catch early in the game to help hold down the Vikings, who eventually found enough holes to overcome Crockett's best defensive efforts.
On the other end, Compton was unhittable after allowing those two doubles in the first inning. She retired the last 13 batters she faced, striking out four straight at one point. She finished with 10 strikeouts and no walks across five innings.
Initially a transfer from Tazewell, where she pitched the Bulldogs to the state 2A championship last spring, Compton is now supported by stars like Wilhoit and Haga, among others.
"Carly said it best when she first came over here, we started talking about it," Boggs said. "Where she's played at, in the past, a lot of times she's had to be a big part of the team, and she is obviously a huge part of this team. But she's got a lot of talent around her (this season) and it takes a lot of pressure off of her, frees her up to do things and relax a little bit."
Compton is a spirited competitor who carries an obvious air of confidence while working.
"She is one fiery young lady -- sometimes we have to rein her in just a little bit," Boggs said. "But she's very humble, she's very sportsmanlike. She just gets fired up."
But what about that slow walk around the circle before delivering her pitches?
"We started calling her 'Peacock,' " Boggs said with a chuckle. "Because, whether she's pitching good or things are going her way or not, she's got a little strut about her. And she needs that and that's good. She's confident and she doesn't let things rattle her."
Crockett coach Alex Dulaney can attest to Compton's brilliance, having lost to the Vikings four times in four attempts. But his team left Rotary Park knowing it had more softball to play.
"All of them were close until this one," Dulaney said. "Coming out of the loser's bracket just makes it tougher, but hats off to Tennessee High. They earned that spot and they played well."
While the Pioneers must take to the highway to open Region 1-AAA play, Tennessee High will be at home. Both teams play Monday, with the regional final set for Wednesday.
"I'm going to say we'll (both) be right back on this field again Wednesday," Boggs said.
The District 2-AAA tournament, plagued by rain, will produce Tennessee High's and Crockett's regional opponents. Greeneville met Claiborne in the loser's bracket final, with the winner to join Grainger in the region field. Grainger currently sits unbeaten in the District 2 tournament.
David Crockett | 100 | 00 | -- | 1 | 2 | 4 |
Tennessee High | 000 | 65 | -- | 11 | 10 | 0 |
David Crockett – Cara Wilson, Natalie Dunbar (5) and A Orren. Tennessee High - Carly Compton and Abby Haga. W – Carly Compton, L - Cara Wilson. 2B – Brylee Tullock, David Crockett; Laney Britton, David Crockett; Abby Haga, Tennessee High. HR – Addison Glover, Tennessee High (one on in 4th). RBI – David Crockett 1 (Laney Britton); Tennessee High 9 (Abby Haga 4, Addison Glover 2, Macie Strouth, Carly Compton, Addie Wilhoit).
VIDEO GALLERY
