While both teams enjoyed strong pitching, it was Soddy Daisy’s Taylor Lloyd who walked away with the “W” in Monday night’s Region 3AA semifinal matchup. Lloyd’s pitching was key, but she can credit the bats of Hope Ingle and Jenna Sims as the catalyst for the Lady Trojans facing White Co. in the region finals on Wednesday. Late inning heroics gave Soddy Daisy a slim 2-1 win.
The Warriorettes had defeated East Hamilton on Saturday by a 3-1 score.
Lloyd and the Lady Eagles’ Michaela Taylor were locked in a pitcher’s duel until the top of the sixth when Tatum Massengale reached on a one out single to center. After Lloyd popped up to second baseman Halleigh Phelps, Ingle delivered a tie-breaking double over the head of Rhea centerfielder Ellie Hickman.
Following Massengale score the inning ended on a fly out to left.
In the bottom of the sixth, Lloyd again held Rhea Co. scoreless.
The Lady Trojans’ Sims delivered the game winner in the form of a leadoff homerun over the centerfield fence. Sims’ tally became all-important when, in the bottom of the seventh the Lady Golden Eagles rallied for a run before Lloyd shut them down for the win.
Rhea’s Courtney Wilson had started the inning with a double to left and then scored on a single by Phelps to left. Lloyd ended Rhea’s season by getting the next two batters to ground out and fly out. Lloyd’s stats were seven innings pitched with three hits and 10 strikeouts.
Taylor also went the full seven innings for Rhea allowing scattering eight hits, striking out one.
Massengale went three for three at the plate for Soddy Daisy and Ingle added two hits of her own.
The Lady Trojans will face White Co. Wednesday evening in Sparta with the first pitch set for 7 p.m.