The softball season has been somewhat of a struggle for teams from Red Bank and Lookout Valley, but both took steps in the right direction in the Yellow Jacket Classic, a tournament involving seven teams being played at the O’Mary-Conard Field at Lookout Valley Elementary School Friday afternoon.
Other teams in this tournament include Whitwell, South Pittsburg, Sale Creek, CSAS and Sequatchie County.
Lookout Valley was the visiting team in this latest game and the Lady Yellow Jackets took a 4-0 lead after sending eight hitters to the plate. Red Bank responded with three runs in the bottom of the inning and it looked like one of those games where the team with the last at-bat might win.
But by the time the Lady Lions rallied with three runs in the fourth, Lookout Valley had scored 11 more runs and the Lady Jackets were able to claim the 15-6 victory.
It’s been a challenging season for first-year Lookout Valley head coach McKenzie Hutcherson, whose team improved to 3-4 with Friday’s win. Getting the field in playable condition after Tuesday’s heavy rain and getting everyone’s schedule set for the two-day tournament were just two of her tasks to handle, but she was all smiles after Friday’s win.
“I’m just so proud of the way we played today and the complete 360-degree turn-around since we first started,” she began after clearing out their dugout and taking a minute to catch her breath and just enjoy the moment.
“We’re hitting finally and we were actually communicating with each other today. Slowly, but surely, we’re getting better and we just got stronger as the game went on. Now if we can just build off of today’s game, we’ll be just fine,” she added.
Red Bank coach Bailey McGinnis has played enough softball to know what is required to field a really good team. Her Lady Lions aren’t there yet, but it’s all about taking small steps for the young ladies in Blue and White.
“We were finally aggressive at the plate and it was nice to see us put the bat on the ball,” she began.
“We still have a long way to go, but our goal is just trying to get better every day and I feel like we took a few steps forward today,” she added.
Lookout Valley ended the game with a dozen hits while winning pitcher Brandi Tate got the win after allowing nine hits and three walks while striking out five.
Jordan Addison led the way for Lookout Valley with three hits, two runs batted in and three runs scored. Tate was one of three Lady Jackets with two hits that included an inside-the-park two-run homer that highlighted the four-run first.
While Red Bank trimmed the difference to 4-3 after one, Lookout Valley kept scoring with three in the second, five in the third and two more in the fourth.
Those three runs in the second came with just one hit, but the Lady Jackets also benefitted from two walks, one hit batter and one Red Bank error. The third inning was a totally different story as the winners collected seven hits, including a pair of doubles.
Kelsey Ford and Addison both had run-scoring doubles while Bridgett Rollins, Jordan Overholt and Tate all had run-scoring singles.
Cambree Smith led off the fourth with a bunt single before Kelsey Ford walked. The Lady Lions then got two quick outs and looked like they might dodge a bullet, but a walk to Anniston Quails and an error on a ball hit by Tate allowed the final two runs to score.
Red Bank rallied in the fourth with three runs, but it was too little too late.
Khamyri Carroll led off with a single and went to second when the throw from the outfield was wild. Donnya Woodruff then got hit by a pitch to put two runners on before a grounder to first by Madison Wade plated the first run. Kiley Kell then drove in the second run with a single to right before Rebekah Hays drove in the last run with a double to left.
While Addison set the pace for Lookout Valley with three hits, Smith, Quails and Tate all had two apiece. Kell and Hays both had two hits for Red Bank.
Red Bank falls to 2-4 with the loss.
LOOKOUT VALLEY 445 2 – 15 10 1
RED BANK 300 3 – 6 9 3
Tate and Rollins; Miles, Kell (4) and Wade.
(Email John Hunt at nomarathonmoose@gmail.com)