Lady Owls Blank Lady Trojans, Claim Title And No. 1 Seed

Ooltewah Rolls 6-0: Boseman, Raschke, Collake Belt Homers

  • Tuesday, April 26, 2016
  • Larry Fleming
Ooltewah's Jadyn Raschke is congratulated by coach Jon Massey on Thursday while rounding third base after belting a solo home run in the second inning against rival Soddy-Daisy. The Lady Owls went on to win, 6-0, and clinched the regular-season title and No. 1 seed for the District 5-3A softball tournament.
Ooltewah's Jadyn Raschke is congratulated by coach Jon Massey on Thursday while rounding third base after belting a solo home run in the second inning against rival Soddy-Daisy. The Lady Owls went on to win, 6-0, and clinched the regular-season title and No. 1 seed for the District 5-3A softball tournament.
photo by Dennis Norwood

Ooltewah pitching ace Kayla Boseman was a little nervous before Tuesday’s District 5-3A softball game against rival Soddy-Daisy at Jim Lovell Field.

The jitters lasted one batter.

Boseman walked leadoff batter Alexis Trimiar and then struck out the next three.

It was smooth sailing from then on.

Boseman threw a four-hit shutout, slammed one of three Ooltewah home runs and the Lady Owls (31-4, 11-0) spanked the Lady Trojans, 6-0, to clinch the district regular season title and nail down the No. 1 seed for the postseason tournament.

“This feels pretty good,” Boseman said. “I was a little nervous, but knew I just had to settle down, relax and pitch my game. Our goal was to remain No. 1 in the district and we have to continue to play our game in the tournament and can’t take anyone lightly.”

The hard-throwing sophomore gave up four singles – one each by Meagan Beasley, Haley Harvey, Macy Bryant and Breanna Britton. Harvey also reached base in the seventh on a fielder’s choice.

Boseman walked two, hit one batter and struck out 14 while improving her personal record to 12-2 on the season.

“I didn’t sense any nervousness with Kayla,” Lady Owls coach Jon Massey said. “She’s a competitor, she’s throwing well and hitting her spots and hitting the ball really well. We’re sure glad to have her on our side.”

Aubie Collake and Jadyn Raschke, playing in only her fifth game after recovering from a leg fracture, joined Boseman in hitting homers – both solo shots in the second and fifth innings, respectively. Boseman hit a two-run smash in a three-run sixth – her 16th of the season – and she now has 70 RBIs.

For Collake, it was homer No. 5 and Raschke’s first.

“I’ve played in four or five games,” Raschke said, “but my leg is doing fine. It feels great to be playing again and hitting my first home run felt pretty good. We’ve beaten Soddy-Daisy twice this year and that feels really good. They’re a very good team.”

Sweeping the regular-season series was the important fact of the day for Collake.

“Last year we beat them here and thought we could win at their place, but just didn’t come through,” she said. “This year we’ve improved a lot and know how they’ve pitched us how to hit their pitchers. Their first pitcher today (Breanna Britton) is a really good pitcher with a really good changeup.”

Boseman and the Lady Owls beat Soddy-Daisy, 8-1, in their first meeting this season.

Ooltewah, which has won 10 straight since losing to Friendship Christian in the Gold title game of the Ooltewah tournament on April 2, took a 1-0 lead against Britton when Raschke drilled a line-drive homer to center field with one out in the second inning.

Boseman was hit by a pitch leading off the third. With one out Mabry Carpenter walked, Tyler Sullivan singled and Monica Thompson, running for Boseman, scored on Raschke’s groundout.

Collake homer in the fourth, giving the Lady Owls a 3-0 cushion.

Boseman was mowing down the Lady Trojans. After hitting Grayson Brown to start the fourth, Boseman retired seven in a row, including five strikeouts – the last four in a row – before walking Cameren Swafford with one out in the sixth.

Boseman then fanned Brown before Macy Bryant singled. Meagan Beasley grounded out to end the inning.

“We knew runs would be hard to come back against Boseman,” Soddy-Daisy coach Wes Skiles said. “That’s why we did our little thing with three pitchers. We wanted to keep the game close. For us to go into the sixth down 3-0 was great and we had a good part of our order coming up.

“We thought we could score a run or two, but it just didn’t work out. We have some girls who can hit home runs and you never know what will happen. Them getting three runs there at the end made it look worse than it was.”

In Ooltewah’s sixth, Addy Keylon walked and Tiera Lemon doubled her to third. Shonna Penney, the third Lady Trojans pitcher (Jordan Woodward relieved Britton in the third), struck out Shelby Sutton.

Penney started to intentionally walk Boseman and threw one pitch out of the strike zone.

Penney failed to handle the throw-back from Swafford, her catcher, and Keylon alertly raced home with the Lady Owls’ fourth run.

Penney then started pitching to Boseman. On the next offering, Boseman smashed a clothesline shot over the center-field fence to give the Lady Owls the six-run lead.

Collake walked and Carpenter singled, but Tyler Sullivan lined into an inning-ending double play.

Boseman closed Soddy-Daisy out in the seventh by striking out Woodward, giving up a single to Britton, who was forced at second on Haley Harvey’s infield grounder. Boseman fanned Peri Prestwood to end the game.

Ooltewah will close out the regular season on Wednesday at home against Bradley Central. The game, moved up a day to avoid expected rain on Thursday, starts at 6:45 p.m.

Then the Lady Owls will turn their attention to defending their 2015 tournament title they used as a springboard to a third-place finish in the Class 3A state tournament.

“We obviously feel very confident,” Collake said. “But we have to keep working and it doesn’t matter who we play I the tournament we still have to work our butts off to keep going.”

Soddy-Daisy, which suffered a stunning 10-9 loss to McMinn County on Monday by blowing a three-run lead in the seventh inning, fell to 22-7 overall and 9-3 in the district. The Lady Trojans are a safe bet for the No. 2 seed in the tournament.

“I don’t worry about records,” Skiles said. “We’re 22-7, but once May 7 rolls around we’re all oh-and-oh and records mean positively nothing.”

Boxscore

Soddy-Daisy                      000 000 0 – 0 4 1

Ooltewah                            011 013 x – 6 8 0

Britton, Woodward (3), Penney (5) and Swafford; Boseman and Forrester.

(Contact Larry Fleming at larryfleming44@gmail.com and on Twitter @larryfleming44)

Sophomore Kayla Boseman threw a four-hit shutout and smacked a two-run homer to lead Ooltewah to a 6-0 District 5-3A softball victory over Soddy-Daisy on Thursday. Boseman now has a 12-2 pitching record with an ERA below 1.80, 16 home runs and 70 RBIs on the season.
Sophomore Kayla Boseman threw a four-hit shutout and smacked a two-run homer to lead Ooltewah to a 6-0 District 5-3A softball victory over Soddy-Daisy on Thursday. Boseman now has a 12-2 pitching record with an ERA below 1.80, 16 home runs and 70 RBIs on the season.
photo by Dennis Norwood
Sports
UTC Sofbtall Hosts ETSU In Friday Doubleheader
  • 3/28/2024

The Chattanooga softball team returns to Frost Stadium for a seven-game home stand that begins Friday afternoon against East Tennessee State in Southern Conference action. The Mocs are 21-8 ... more

Covenant Men's Tennis Loses 6-3
  • 3/28/2024

The Covenant Scots looked to boost their nonconference tennis resume with a win on the road at Oglethorpe. Covenant was unable to get the job done, as it fell 3-6. Final: Covenant 3, Oglethorpe ... more

7 Football Mocs Participate In Annual Pro Day
  • 3/28/2024

The Chattanooga Mocs had a 7-man contingent go through their paces in front of NFL scouts at the annual Pro Day. It started in the Wolford Family Strength & Conditioning Center before shifting ... more