MURFREESBORO -- GPS coach wasn't very happy following Tuesday's whipping against Baylor, but she was feeling somewhat better following Wednesday's 11-4 win over Pope John Paul in the loser's bracket portion of the D-II state softball tournament at Starplex Field No. 3.
It had rained earlier in the day before the showers returned. The Bruisers had a commanding lead when play was stopped for weather.
By the time the umpires were ready to resume play, Crownover showed strong opposition to that decision over the deplorable field conditons. A few minutes later, the game was called after going back to the fifth inning.
"I basically pitched a fit and told them I would sue the TSSAA if one of my players got hurt. It had rained so hard that water was standing all over the field, so they finally decided to call it," the sometimes fiery coach explained later.
"But we played with a lot more intensity in this game as they actually acted like they wanted to be there. Hannah Kincer did a nice job pitching and she had a big three-run homer in the first that was a key for us," she added.
Taylor Battle, Lilly Berger and Hannah Sanders all had two hits for the Bruisers with one of Sanders being a two-run double in the third.
GPS had scored five in the first while adding six in the sixth while the Lady Knights countered with a solo run in the third and three in the fifth.
Kincer was also the winning pitcher after going 4.2 innings and allowing six hits and four runs -- just one was earned -- while walking one and striking out three.
Chelsey Stephenson was the losing pitcher after allowing nine runs on 10 hits in 2.2 innings.
GPS improves to 20-10 with the win and will now play the loser of the Baylor-St. Benedict game, which is set for Thursday at 11:30. GPS will then play at 5:30.
GPS 506 00 -- 11 12 2
POPE JOHN PAUL II 001 03 -- 4 6 3
WP -- Kincer; LP -- Stephenson.
(Email John Hunt at nomarathonmoose@Comcast.net)