Leadoff hitter Morgan Sharpe provided the opening fireworks for Baylor in the top of the first inning Thursday afternoon in a game against Silverdale on the lady Seahawks’ home turf. The petite second baseman took a 1-2 pitch from the Lady Seahawks’ Bree Sexton and drove it over the left field fence.
The 1-0 lead would stand until sixth inning when two more Baylor players would go long.
Cadasia Collins and Riley Oleksik closed out their team’s scoring. Collins had a solo shot, while Oleksik’s hit produced two RBIs.
Baylor head coach Kelli Smith said of Collins, “Cadashia has really been a consistent hitter for us this season.” Of her offense, she added, “I was happy with the bottom of the lineup for producing hits.”
Smith thought it was a total team effort, saying, “I was extremely proud that we were able to come through with a few big hits. Syd Berzon and Acelynn Sellers did a great job on the mound for us tonight.”
Berzon went six complete innings before giving way to Sellers in the seventh. Berzon retired 15 Silverdale batters on strikes while giving up no hits and only two base on balls and no runs. Sellers allowed one hit, giving up one run.
Silverdale’s Sexton and Katie Willoughby combined for five hits, allowing four runs, striking out two and walking four.
BAYLOR 100 003 0 – 4 5 0
SILVERDALE 000 000 1 – 1 1 3
Berzon, Sellers (7) and Sellers, Barton (7); Willoughby, Sexton (1), Willoughby (4), Sexton (6) and Hensley.
Whitwell 2, Red Bank 1: The long ball was the killer as Whitwell scored two runs in the top of the seventh to notch a comeback win over the Lady Lions at Red Bank.
The Lady Tigers’ Mallory O’Neal led off the top of the last inning with a shot over the center field fence. Not to be outdone, her teammate Ava Layne followed her in the order by taking a 1-2 pitch over the left field fence to cement the game.
Following the two homeruns, Red Bank’s Bailee Phillips struck out the side.
Maria Basham went the distance for Whitwell to notch the win. Basham scattered six hits giving up the lone run, while striking out one and walking two.
Phillips took a tough loss as she struck out 16 while walking none and allowing four hits.
Two of those hits were by the Lady Tigers’ Tori Grayson. Hailey Hanks had two of the Lady Lions’ six hits.
Walker Valley 9, McMinn Co. 1: The Lady Mustangs gave up a run early in the bottom of the first, and then came back with at least one run in all but the third inning.
Walker Valley knocked out 15 hits, with four for extra bases. Benson doubled, Kidd tripled and homered going two for four and Davis added a homerun in her three for our evening.
Hailey Leslie got the win in the circle for the Lady Mustangs, going all seven innings giving up six hits and striking out six. Sadie Brazzell took the loss for the Lady Cherokees but had nine strikeouts in the effort.
Cami Wade went two for three for McMinn
Soddy Daisy 10, Cleveland 0: Taylor Lloyd was the key to the Lady Trojans win over District 5AAA foe as she stayed laser beam focused allowing only one hit and striking out 10 in Soddy Daisy’s run-rule shortened victory.
Lloyd was zeroed in the batter’s box, as well, going two for three with her two hits being homeruns. She accounted for four of the Lady Trojans runs. Teammate Hopoe Ingle also homered, accounting for three RBIs.