An annual Scenic City summertime tradition will renew on Tuesday, June 13 when Chattanooga's Frost Stadium plays host to the 2023 edition of the Tennessee-Georgia All-Star Softball Classic.
The Classic, pitting recent graduates from southeast Tennessee against their counterparts from northwest Georgia, will feature a pair of seven-inning contests, starting at 6 p.m.
Admission is $10 at the gate for adults, $5 for students ages 6-12, while kids ages five and under will get in free.
This year's Classic will be the 25th version of the border battle.
The late Marvin "Stump" Martin founded the game in 1998, shortly after northwest Georgia teams made the move from slowpitch to fastpitch. The game was not played in 2020 due to concerns over COVID.
Over the years, top names from both states have participated in the game. Former Kentucky standout Kelsey Nunley (Soddy-Daisy) was the Classic's MVP in 2012, while recent Tennessee stalwart Ashley Rogers (Meigs County) was the MVP of the 2018 Classic. Jana Johns (Calhoun), who won two NCAA titles while at Oklahoma, was the Georgia Player of the Game in 2017.
Last June, a seven-run first inning helped Team Georgia to a 10-2, five-inning victory in Game 2 after Team Tennessee won the opener, 4-2.
Calhoun's Paris Kirby was named the Chip Liner Georgia Player of the Game. She went 3 for 4 on the night with three doubles, a walk and picked up four RBIs to tie a record held by three other players.
Baylor's Cadasha Collins, who walked and scored a run in the first game and had a two-run homer in the nightcap, was named the Clifford Kirk Tennessee Player of the Game. She also recorded six assists and three putouts at shortstop, while also starting a pair of double plays.
Sonoraville's Taylor Long was voted as the Stump Martin Most Valuable Player. She picked up a complete-game victory in Game 2 after pitching 2.2 innings in the opener. She finished the night by allowing just two earned runs on three hits and struck out 15 batters, breaking the old record of 13, set by Madison Gossett (Dade County) in 2014.
Tennessee leads the all-time series, 35-11-2.
Jackie Freeland, who guided Silverdale Baptist Academy to the TSSAA DII-A state championship this spring, will lead the Volunteer State. She will be opposed by Glen Woodard of Cartersville, whose team captured a region title last fall and advanced to the Super Regionals of the GHSA Class AAAAA state playoffs.
Here are the players that have been named to the rosters for the 2023 Classic:
TEAM TENNESSEE
Katie Raper (Baylor)
Morgan Sharpe (Baylor)
Macy Chastain (Bradley Central)
Hannah Blevins (CCS)
Taylor Bullard (CCS)
Grace Hixson (East Hamilton)
Reese Knox (East Hamilton)
McKamey Bratcher (GPS)
Ansley Giffin (GPS)
Isabella Jenkins (GPS)
Caylan Baker (Marion County)
Desiree Nance (Marion County)
Grace Slatton (Marion County)
Addie Keef (Silverdale Baptist)
Tatum Massengale (Soddy-Daisy)
Adasyn Wilkey (Soddy-Daisy)
Addison Beason (Whitwell)
Ava Layne (Whitwell)
TEAM GEORGIA
Ava Perkins (Cartersville)
Valaceia Burris (Chattooga)
Aliza Martinez (Dalton)
Chloee Fryar (Gordon Lee)
Ava Brown (LaFayette)
Haynie Gilstrap (LaFayette)
Breonn Newbille (LFO)
Abygail Jarvi (Northwest Whitfield)
Alyson Jarvi (Northwest Whitfield)
Gracie Lacle (Northwest Whitfield)
Maddy Bacon (Ringgold)
Riley Heard (Ringgold)
Hansley Farmer (Pepperell)
Jolie Splendor (Pepperell)
Morgan Willingham (Pepperell)