Several area softball standouts are helping Tennessee Wesleyan advance for the first time ever to the NAIA World Series.
Wesleyan on Wednesday afternoon held off the No. 1 seeded Central Methodist University 8-7.
Local players include Destiny Painter - Red Bank High School, Madison Stott - Sale Creek Middle/High School, Courtney Sneed - Soddy Daisy High School, Baylie Davis - Soddy Daisy High School, Emily Tabor - Bledsoe, and Hallie DeArman - Rhea County.
Tennessee Wesleyan, seeded No.
3 in the Bowling Green Bracket, earlier defeated Central Methodist. In the final poll of the season, the Lady Eagles were ranked No. 9.
Pitching and defense were at a premium throughout the first game as only one run went up on the scoreboard in the full seven innings of regulation. The lone run came in the second inning.
Haley Hinshaw became the first hit of the game in the top of the second inning, blasting a double to right field. The next at-bat put the second out on the board, making the inning look bleak. Malyssa Jeter changed the outset of the inning, and eventually, the game with her single up the middle, scoring Hinshaw from second to give the team a 1-0 lead.
Cheyenne Strong and the defense carried the team over the next five innings, only giving up three hits and not allowing a run to complete the upset of the No. 1 seed in the bracket.
Jeter had the lone RBI in the game while Hinshaw scored the only run of the game. Strong pitched all seven innings, giving up only three hits and striking out two batters while giving up no runs.