Grace's Tiffany Walker winds up.
photo by Greg Davick
Despite clear skies on Friday afternoon, wet fields at Warner Park kept most out of town team’s home for the evening. Several local teams played on the two fields at Warner Park with tarps, Hargraves and Frost.
Tournament director Norma Nelson was hopeful for Saturday’s schedule.
“Only two out of town teams will play tonight,” she said after her team defeated Grace 3-1.
“We are keeping our fingers crossed to get the other fields ready for tomorrow. They wouldn’t let us on the Cooke fields and will make a decision tomorrow.”
East Ridge, Ooltewah, and GPS pulled out close wins Friday in pool play action.
East Ridge pulled the biggest upset of the day, defeating Baylor 2-0. The East Ridge defense kept the hard hitting Red Raiders out of scoring position. Paige Goins allowed just four hits.
The Lady Pioneers scored both their runs in the sixth inning. Tiffany Baker opened the inning with a single. Ashley Adkins sacrificed her to second and Brandi Cox smashed a double to score Baker. Laura Brock then singled and advanced to second on a stolen base. Niki Garner hit a single to score the other run before Baylor retired the side.
Cox was 2-3 and Brock was 2-2. Mary Catherine Vercoe earned the loss for Baylor.
In Ooltewah’s opener, freshman pitcher Holly Thomas allowed just three hits, leading the Lady Owls to a 3-1 win over Grace. Grace pitcher Tiffany Walker also pitched well, allowing just four hits.
Ooltewah scored one run in the first inning on an RBI single by Katie Ahrens. Casey Saunders had an RBI single in the third and the Lady Owls scored another run on an error.
Grace scored their run in the sixth inning.
“Thomas pitched a good game,” Nelson said. “She is a good pitcher and she is only going to get better.”
The Bruisers of GPS had 10 hits against Central but did not score until the seventh inning when they brought four across the plate to earn a 4-0 win.
“We had a couple of lead off hits but couldn’t score,” GPS head coach Susan Crownover said. “We were hitting the ball well but couldn’t put anything together. Their pitcher pitched a great game; she was hitting the outside corner very well.”
Central held GPS scoreless for six innings but the Bruisers were able to put things together at the right time to earn the win.
Courtney Clingen, Jessica Phillips and Lillian Hammond each had doubles in the seventh inning.
Kaity Holloway allowed just three hits for GPS. Amy Campbell went 2-4, Whitney Bell 2-3 and Morgan Dodd was 3-4.
Hixson was playing Farragut and East Ridge was playing William Blount in the late games.
Games will begin at 9 a.m. on Saturday.
Grace's Jenny Parshall takes a pitch.
photo by Greg Davick