(Story has been updated with TSSAA ruling, Sectional pairing)
The Tennessee Secondary School Athletic Association has stepped in and ruled since Wednesday’s Region 3-AAA softball title game had gone beyond the fifth inning that Soddy-Daisy has been declared a 6-4 winner over Cookeville.
Early evening rain halted play with the Lady Trojans leading 6-4 in the top of the seventh inning. The Lady Cavaliers had runners at first and second with one out when play was halted. The plan was to come back Thursday and finish the game.
However, TSSAA said otherwise.
“TSSAA called and said we were past the 5th inning so it’s an official game. Soddy-Daisy 6, Cookeville 4,” Soddy-Daisy coach Wes Skiles said in a text Thursday morning.
The Lady Trojans (33-8) will host a Sectional game Friday against Oakland, the Region 4-AAA runner-up at 6 p.m. at Clifford Kirk Stadium. Coffee County beat Oakland, 4-0, for the 4-AAA championship on Thursday.
Friday winners advance to the state tournament next week in Murfreesboro.
Soddy-Daisy jumped on Cookeville for five first-inning runs.
With one out, Hayley Reynolds drew a walk, Grayson Brown and Shana Ward collected hits and Hannah Smith’s hit drove in a run. Savannah Moore reached on an error with a second run crossing the plate. Abby Walker added a two-run single and when Jessica Boles reached on an infield error the Lady Trojans had their fifth run of the inning.
Shonna Penney worked into the sixth inning before Edwards came on in relief.
Soddy-Daisy routed Rhea County 14-3 on Monday to reach the region championship showdown with Cookeville.
SUMMARY
Cookeville 100 102 – 4 5 4
Soddy-Daisy 500 001 – 6 8 1
(E-mail Larry Fleming at larryfleming44@gmail.com and follow him on Twitter @larryfleming44)