After the 2020 games had to be postponed because of COVID-19, the Tennessee-Georgia All-Star Softball Classic will resume at Frost Stadium in Chattanooga on Tuesday, June 15.
The 2021 edition of the Classic, as have the previous 22 Classics, will pit recent graduates from northwest Georgia against recent graduates against the metro-Chattanooga area.
Admission is $8 at the gate for adults, $4 for students ages 6-12, and kids five and under are free.
Door prizes will also be given away between every inning.
The ladies from Volunteer State will be looking to keep the momentum going with a roster that includes players from seven teams that all advanced to Spring Fling 2021, including Division II-AA state champion Baylor, Division II-AA state runner-up GPS and Division II-AA Final Four participant Chattanooga Christian, along with Red Bank, Sale Creek, Sequatchie County and Silverdale Baptist and other traditional Chattanooga and state powers.
The roster features Ace Sellers (Baylor), Presley Williamson (Boyd-Buchanan), Riley Sermon and Carly Chastain (Bradley Central), Madison Vandergriff, Lauren Kay and Savannah Ricketts (Chattanooga Christian), Syerra Rogers (East Hamilton), Chapel Cunningham (GPS), Sara Murr (Marion County), Annalee Moore (Ooltewah), Hailey Hanks, Zoe Helms and Lexie Wright (Red Bank), Shelby Sullivan and Hannah Skyles (Sale Creek), Callie Green and Ella Edgmon (Sequatchie County), Brie Sexton and Skylar Sheridan (Silverdale Baptist), and Courtney Sneed, Hope Ingle, Jayde Baron (Soddy-Daisy).
Tennessee will be led by Sale Creek head coach Nikki (Waters) Robbs, herself a Tennessee-Georgia All-Star Softball Classic alum. In the 15th annual Classic in 2007, the former Soddy-Daisy great struck out 12 batters to set a record that stood until 2012 when another Soddy-Daisy legend, Kelsey Nunley, struck out 13 in a game.
However, the Volunteer State will have its work cut out for them against the most decorated Peach State squad ever assembled since the local games began in 1998.
A total of 12 of the 16 players listed on Team Georgia's roster have combined for 29 state championship rings in the past four years. Ten of those 12 won multiple state titles with their alma maters, including during the 2020 fall season.
That roster includes players from Calhoun, Coahulla Creek, Gordon Lee, Heritage, LFO, Ridgeland and Ringgold and features a plethora of All-Region and All-State selections, including some who have garnered Player/Pitcher of the Year honors in their respective classifications by the Georgia Dugout Club, the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association and various media outlets.
The roster consists of Jordan Blair, Lyndi Rae Davis and Maggie McBryar (Calhoun), Sophia Voyles (Coahulla Creek), Emma Minghini and Addison Sturdivant (Gordon Lee), Bailey Christol, Bailey Davis, Carmen Gayler and Rachel Gibson (Heritage), Haley Stahl (LFO), Marianne Beliveau (Ridgeland), and Amber Gainer, Jade Gainer, Caroline Hemphill and Riley Nayadley (Ringgold).
The glitter squad will be coached by two-time Class AAA state champion head coach Daniel Hackett (Ringgold).
The doubleheader, featuring a pair of seven-inning contests, will begin with first pitch of Game 1 at 6 p.m.
Georgia will be trying to reverse a recent trend in the Classic as Tennessee swept the past two doubleheaders in 2018 and 2019. The Peach State went 0-1-1 in 2017, suffering a loss, but rallying for an eight-inning tie in the nightcap. Georgia's last single game win came in 2016 as they beat Tennessee in the opener, 9-6, before an 8-3 loss in Game 2.
In 2019, the last time the games were held, Paxton Grimes (Gordon Lee) took home Georgia MVP honors as she had three hits on the night. Macie Stanfill (Sale Creek) was named the Tennessee MVP after she collected two hits, including a two-run double, and threw two perfect innings in the circle of Game 2, striking out five of the six batters she faced.
Abby McNamara (Baylor) garnered the Stump Martin MVP award after collecting three hits, three RBI's and scoring three runs in the twinbill. The award was named for Martin, who founded and promoted the game for over two decades before passing away on May 10, 2018.
Tennessee leads the all-time series, 34-9-1.
The All-Star Classic games will be preceded by a pair of 8U youth games. At 2:30, the Frost Falcons 2013 will take on Fury 2013, while the Frost Falcons 2012 will square off with the River City Renegades 2012 at 3:45.
TEAM GEORGIA ROSTER
(scheduled to appear)
Head Coach: Daniel Hackett (Ringgold)
Jordan Blair - Calhoun (Montevallo)
Lyndi Rae Davis - Calhoun (Georgia)
Maggie McBryar - Calhoun (Augusta Univ.)
Sophia Voyles - Coahulla Creek (Georgia Tech)
Addison Sturdivant - Gordon Lee (West Georgia)
Emma Minghini - Gordon Lee (Georgia Tech)
Bailey Christol - Heritage (West Georgia)
Bailey Davis - Heritage (East Georgia State)
Carmen Gayler - Heritage (Tennessee-Martin)
Rachel Gibson - Heritage (Clemson)
Haley Stahl - LFO (Bryan)
Marianne Beliveau - Ridgeland (Univ. of the Cumberlands)
Amber Gainer - Ringgold (Chattanooga State)
Jade Gainer - Ringgold (Chattanooga State)
Caroline Hemphill - Ringgold (Univ. of the Cumberlands)
Riley Nayadley - Ringgold (ETSU)
TEAM TENNESSEE ROSTER
(scheduled to appear)
Head Coach: Nikki Robbs (Sale Creek)
Ace Sellers - Baylor (Chattanooga)
Courtney Sneed - Soddy-Daisy (Tennessee Wesleyan)
Hope Ingle - Soddy-Daisy (Cleveland State)
Jayde Baron - Soddy-Daisy (West Virginia State)
Presley Williamson - Boyd-Buchanan (Chattanooga)
Hailey Hanks - Red Bank (Cleveland State)
Zoe Helms - Red Bank (Jackson State)
Lexie Wright - Red Bank (Shorter)
Sara Murr - Marion County (Montreat)
Syerra Rogers - East Hamilton (Cleveland State)
Annalee Moore - Ooltewah (Cumberland University)
Shelby Sullivan - Sale Creek (Cleveland State)
Hannah Skyles - Sale Creek (Bryan)
Skylar Sheridan - Silverdale Baptist (Austin Peay)
Brie Sexton - Silverdale Baptist (Morehead State)
Chapel Cunningham - GPS (Southeastern University)
Riley Sermon - Bradley Central (Cleveland State)
Carly Chastain - Bradley Chastain (Cleveland State)
Madison Vandergriff - Chattanooga Christian (Carson-Newman)
Lauren Kay - Chattanooga Christian (Covenant)
Savannah Ricketts - Chattanooga Christian (ETSU)
Callie Green - Sequatchie County (Bryan)
Ella Edgmon - Sequatchie County - (Georgia Tech)