Silverdale’s Lady Seahawk softball team played toe-to-toe with the best high school team in Chattanooga for most of Thursday afternoon’s game at Baylor, but the high-powered Lady Red Raider offense finally broke loose to prevail by a 6-1 final.
Junior Katie Willoughby did a magnificent job in the circle for Silverdale as a two-out single by Ace Sellers in the fourth inning was the first hit of the day allowed by Willoughby.
And while McCade Cooper’s solo homer in the first had given the girls in green an early 1-0 lead, Willoughby could only keep the Baylor bats in check for so long.
The Lady Red Raiders finally broke loose in the bottom of the fifth as they batted around and scored six runs. Two hit batters, two bases loaded walks and two hits allowed those six runs to score, highlighted by a grand slam by Sellers to the opposite field with two outs.
That one inning made a winner of Baylor ace Syd Berzon, who pitched a great game by most standards, but not by hers, as she gave up the one run on three hits while walking none and striking out 13.
Sellers had a grand slam in Baylor’s last game on Tuesday at Chattanooga Christian. Two runs had already scored as Morgan Sharpe and Addi Yates both got RBIs with bases-loaded walks, but Sellers knew that she really needed to come through in the clutch with the sacks still full and two outs.
It wasn’t the pitch she was looking for from the hard-throwing Willoughby, but it was good enough as she ripped the 1-1 offering down the line in right as the Baylor bench erupted in jubilation.
“I was really looking for an inside pitch, but I got a good swing on an outside pitch and knew it was gone as soon as I hit it. I was just hoping to put the ball in play as we needed a few more runs, but this is my second game in a row with a grand slam,” the Baylor senior smiled.
It was her fifth home run of the season.
Baylor coach Kelli Smith knew that her team would get a great effort from the Lady Seahawks, who came into Thursday’s game riding an eight-game winning streak.
She was right.
“What a great day for that kid,” Smith said in reference to Sellers.
“She’s been a special individual since the day she joined this team in the eighth grade and has always been eager to do anything we ask, including playing any position on the field. She’s the heart and soul of this softball team,” the veteran coach praised.
“I knew that Silverdale would be tough as they have a solid team. The Willoughby girl pitched a great game, but it was good to see us finally adjust to what she was throwing,” Smith added after her team had won for the 14th time this spring without a defeat.
Silverdale coach Jackie Freeland could only shake her head with a smile on her face after the last out had been recorded.
“Of course, I’m disappointed that we lost the game, but I’m so proud of how hard we battled with Baylor. They have an outstanding team, but we had the one bad inning and it costs us,” she expressed afterward.
“Our goal today was to have quality at-bats and I feel like we did as we put the bat on the ball a lot. McCade’s homer in the first was awesome as that was a great boost for us, but playing teams like Baylor only makes us better,” Freeland added.
Sellers was the only Baylor player with two hits. Raven Jones had the only other hit, a single that led off the fifth when the Lady Red Raiders batted around and totally shifted the momentum.
Bre Sexton had two hits for Silverdale, including a checked-swing double in the fifth, while Addie Keef had a single to lead off the sixth. Cooper’s homer in the first was the first hit for either team.
Berzon was the winning pitcher while Willoughby was a tough-luck loser after giving up all six runs on three hits. She finished the day with four strikeouts, two walks and two hit batters.
Baylor will be at home again on Friday to host Marion County while Silverdale will be at home to host Walker Valley.
The Lady Seahawks are now 12-7 following Thursday’s loss.
SILVERDALE 100 000 0 – 1 4 0
BAYLOR 000 060 x – 6 3 0
Willoughby, Sexton (6) and Hensley; Berzon, Jones (7) and Sellers, Oleksik (7).
(Email John Hunt at nomarathonmoose@gmail.com)