Whitwell rolls back into softball state tournament

Whitwell's Layla McEwen watches her RBI single fly into right field for a hit that put the Lady Tigers up 4-3 during Saturday's home game against Moore County. The final score was 7-3, with the Lady Tigers advancing to the Class A state tournament by virtue of the sectional victory.
Whitwell's Layla McEwen watches her RBI single fly into right field for a hit that put the Lady Tigers up 4-3 during Saturday's home game against Moore County. The final score was 7-3, with the Lady Tigers advancing to the Class A state tournament by virtue of the sectional victory.

WHITWELL, Tenn. - Just hours after celebrating their high school graduation, four Whitwell seniors helped give their community yet another reason to be proud. With an overflow crowd surrounding the field in support, new graduates Anna Yell, Layla McEwen, Delanie Merciers and Carley Terry each contributed to the Lady Tigers' 7-3 win over visiting Moore County in a Class A softball state sectional Saturday evening.

The win advances Whitwell to next week's state tournament for the third consecutive year.

"We've got so many leaders on this team, but our seniors really have set the example for everyone to follow," Lady Tigers coach Rebecca Castle said.

Much as they have throughout their three-year postseason run, the Lady Tigers found a way when the game was on the line.

After the Lady Raiders rallied with a run in each of the second, third and fourth innings to tie the score, Whitwell answered with a pair of runs in the home half of the fourth, then added two in the fifth. McEwen provided the go-ahead run when she lined a single up the middle on the first pitch she saw to bring home Kynlie Higdon, who had led off the inning with a double. Junior Kaitlyn Rollins later added an RBI single for an insurance run.

"We just have a lot of confidence as a team that we're going to get the job done," Rollins said. "Our seniors always seem to come up big when we need it.

"We've been to the state a few times now, and I believe this is the year that we can win it all. Winning that first game will be really important for us."

Yell shut down Moore County's bats over the final three innings, while Terry finished 2-for-4 with an RBI and Merciers was 2-for-4 with a two-run single in the first inning to put Whitwell ahead early.

"Once our hitters get going, we can put together some big innings," Castle said. "This team just has so much heart, and I really like the way we're playing right now. We know what the atmosphere and the big crowds are like at the state tournament, so I think we'll be ready."

Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6293. Follow him on Twitter @StephenHargis.

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