Ashlyn Holland hits during a recent home game
photo by Joseph Dycus
Power pitching, and a two-homer day from fourth-year player Ashlyn Holland, sent Chattanooga State to the second round of the NJCAA tournament.
Chattanooga State's softball Tigers dispatched Southern Idaho on Tuesday 5-0. This result from Yuma was in large part thanks to another dominant start from right-handed flamethrower Sam Ryan (21-3), who went the distance and allowed only three hits and two walks.
The Tigers faced Brooke Merrill (20-5), who by no means pitched poorly, but was just not quite as sharp.
Holland roughed her up first when she belted a second inning solo shot over the right field wall. After a few cleaner innings, the Tigers got her again in the fifth.
In a play that involved all three of Chatt State's fastest players, centerfielder Reagan Hartley dumped a single into that score Mia Apple and advanced Camryn Cernuto to second.
That 2-0 score didn't last for long. In the sixth, Holland went to her pull side and launched another solo homer over the wall, this time to her left, and gave Chatt State a 3-0 lead.
Marquilla Howell may have been in the nine-spot, but her two-RBI double a few batters later scored Amber and Jade Gainer to complete run-getting. The Tigers will play Florida SouthWestern State at 5:00 EST on Wednesday.