GPS head coach Susan Crownover congratulates Haley Smith on her grand slam homerun. Smith's blast broke open a 0-0 tie and propelled the Bruisers to a 10-0 win over Briarcrest in their Spring Fling opener.
photo by Dennis Norwood
MURFREESBORO – The GPS softball team seemed to be in some kind of lethargic funk at the start of their game with the Briarcrest Lady Saints, but they finally got their act together in time for a 10-0 six-inning win in the opening round of the Division II state softball tournament at Starplex Field No. 3 Tuesday evening.
The Bruisers had cruised to a doubleheader sweep of Harpeth Hall last week in the quarterfinal round where the Honey Bears managed one hit in two games while losing by a combined 31-0 score.
The competition was just a bit better on Tuesday as Briarcrest senior pitcher Brianna Chambers had six strikeouts the first time through the Bruiser lineup.
GPS had left the bases loaded twice in the first three innings and two on in the other, but Chambers luck finally came crashing down in the fourth.
Chapel Cunningham, Kaitlyn Songer and Elizabeth Warwick all reached on consecutive errors by the Briarcrest third baseman before junior catcher Haley Smith made it hurt with a grand slam to dead center.
Hannah Kincer followed with solo homer to left to make it 5-0 while back-to-back doubles by winning pitcher Shelby Walters and first baseman Ariana Whatley made it 6-0. Songer’s single to left extended the lead to 7-0 as the Bruisers were firmly in control at that point.
Smith led off the GPS fifth with a walk and scored on a double by Macie Stanfield while Stanfield scored a few minutes later on a wild pitch.
Then in the sixth, Cunningham led off with a walk and later scored the final run on a sacrifice fly by Smith.
While the GPS offense took its time getting in gear, Walters was in gear from the first pitch.
The hard-throwing junior retired the first 16 batters she faced before Evyn Graham ripped a triple down the line in right. GPS right fielder Cunningham, who is just an eighth grader, made a valiant effort, but the ball glanced off her glove as Graham raced safely to third.
“It took us a while to get going, but everything finally fell into place and Haley got us going with the grand slam,” Walters said after finishing the game with 11 strikeouts and no walks.
“This was a good way for our team to get back in the groove after last week’s games, but I think I did pretty good. I was thinking about the perfect game and Chapel came up to me and apologized for not making the play, but I didn’t think twice about it.
“I’m good with a win in the state tournament, no matter how we get it. That’s always more important than how many perfect games you pitch,” she added.
Smith is the GPS catcher. She’s not a very big girl, but she’s deceptively strong. She also has home-run power.
“They called a timeout right before I came up to bat and coach Crownover just told me to hit it hard. That’s what I tried to do and that’s the first grand slam I’ve ever hit,” she smiled.
Coach Crownover was about ready to pull her hair out early in the game when her team kept leaving runners on base. She was much happier when it was all over.
“Chapel came up to me and apologized for that play in right. She told me she just didn’t get a very good jump and was clearly upset about not making the play. I just told her that I appreciate her effort and her attitude. That’s what I like about her,” Crownover said after her team had improved to 21-6.
“Those home runs were the difference in the game as it totally changed everything. We seemed to be uptight at the start for some reason, but those homers loosened us up.
“Shelby pitched another outstanding game and it’s always good to win the first one,” Crownover nodded.
The winning Bruisers finished with 10 runs on nine hits while the Lady Saints were limited to the one hit.
Smith and Walters both had two hits to lead the GPS attack with Songer, Kincer, Stanfield and Whatley all adding a hit and an RBI.
The Bruisers will have Wednesday off and will play the winner of Baylor and St. Benedict on Thursday at 11:30. The Lady Red Raiders begin the defense of their state title on Wednesday morning at 10 a.m.
BRIARCREST 000 000 – 0 1 6
GPS 000 721 – 10 9 0
Chambers, Iverstine (5), House (6) and Bradford; Walters and Smith.
(email John Hunt at nomarathonmoose@gmail.com)