This hasn’t been the softball season the Soddy Daisy Lady Trojans were hoping for, but they took a step in the right direction on a cool Saturday morning at Boyd Buchanan with a 6-2 win.
The Lady Trojans, improving to 15-8-1 with this latest non-district win, left at least one runner on in all seven innings and 11 total, finally came through with the big hit in the sixth inning to score four runs and break open a close game where the score had been tied, 1-1.
The overall performance by Soddy Daisy made head coach Kelsey Nunley Moore happy as the Lady Trojans basically played the game the way it was designed to be played.
“Our hitters came through, we got a good performance on the mound and we had good baserunning, so it was a good overall team win,” Moore said afterward.
“I was really proud of how Regan Rowan pitched. Boyd loaded the bases in the sixth with nobody out and their best home-run hitter up, but they only got one run as she didn’t cave into the pressure.
“I felt like we had the momentum the whole game as we got a bunch of hits and were finally able to score,” the coach smiled.
Boyd Buchanan coach Tom Watson liked the way his team played defense, but he was somewhat disappointed in their inability to get the big hit in key situations.
“It seems like they had a lot more chances than we did, but we just have to find a way to get a big hit with two outs and runners in scoring position,” Watson began.
“I’m really pleased with our defense as that’s important, but we just have to find a way to put the ball in play in critical situations,” he added.
Rowan was the winning pitcher as she went the distance, allowing two runs on five hits while striking out four and walking two. She also did her share at the plate with three hits and three RBIs, including a two-run single that highlighted the four-run sixth.
Hannah Patterson also had three hits for the Lady Trojans, who finished with 13 hits for the game. Abby Faires and Ava Blue had two hits to help Soddy Daisy’s cause.
While Soddy Daisy scored its first run on a sacrifice fly by Rowan in the first, the Lady Buccaneers knotted the score when Kiley Elliott ripped a solo homer with one out in the fourth. It was a towering shot down the line in left.
Patterson and Blue led off the sixth with singles and advanced on a sacrifice by Emmie Noles. Izzy Webb then walked with one out to load the bases before Lilly Blaylock singled to left to break the tie. Faires got a walk with the bases loaded for the second run before Rowan lined a 1-0 pitch up the middle for the last two runs.
The Lady Bucs came right back in the bottom of the sixth and loaded the sacks with nobody out, but could only get an RBI fielder’s choice from Gracie Petty as Rowan pitched around additional trouble, including a big swinging strikeout of Sydney Baker to end the inning.
Blue had a double in the seventh with one out. Courtesy runner Kaylen Sexton then scored the final run on a single by Webb.
Rowan then retired the final three hitters in order to end the game.
Cai Cai Butler was the only Boyd Buchanan player with two hits.
While Rowan was the winning pitcher, Elliott was the loser after allowing five runs on nine hits. She also struck out four while walking two and hitting two more.
Soddy Daisy will host Chattanooga Christian on Monday while Boyd’s next game is next Thursday when they host East Hamilton.
SODDY DAISY 100 004 1 – 6 13 0
BOYD BUCHANAN 000 101 0 – 2 5 0
Rowan and Blue; Elliott, Murley (6) and Johnson.
(Email John Hunt at nomarathonmoose@gmail.com)