High school softball season is barely a week old and we’ve already had some interesting games with some of the best teams in the area facing each other.
Such was the case at Chattanooga Christian Tuesday afternoon where the Lady Chargers were hosts to the Silverdale Lady Seahawks. Silverdale is the two-time defending D-II-A state champs while CCS has been runner-up in D-II-AA for the past two springs.
It's safe to say that pitchers are way ahead of the hitters at this point. There were two simply outstanding performances in the circle at CCS.
Silverdale was able to score four runs late and used a two-hitter by sophomore Bita Cox to remain unbeaten at 5-0-1 with the 4-1 victory. She also walked two while striking out 11. The only run she allowed was unearned.
CCS junior southpaw Kylie Black was a tough-luck loser as she allowed those four runs on four hits while striking out 18 and walking five. It should be against the law for a youngster to pitch that well and be the losing pitcher.
Silverdale coach Jackie Freeland was just happy that her girls were able to find a way to score a few runs when those opportunities were few and far between.
“That was a good game. That CCS pitcher did a great job of keeping us off-balance most of the day, but we made a few adjustments toward the end and were able to make some things work,” Freeland began following the game.
“We were able to do the little things that are so important in games like this, but we know that we’ll have to do more of that later, so it was important that we were able to be successful doing it today.
“Bita pitched a great game and kept us in it. And I’m really proud of Jaliyah Whitaker, who hit the home run in the sixth. She’s worked so hard in the off-season and has gotten so much stronger, so I was glad to see her get a big hit today,” Freeland added.
CCS coach Steven Rogers could only shake his head and wonder what could have been.
“That was a great pitcher’s duel, but we just have to find a way to win close games like that,” he began.
“Give Silverdale a lot of credit as they got some timely hits and won by doing the small things well. We need to be more disciplined at the plate. We just waited too late to get our bats going, but it’s still early as this is just our sixth game,” he smiled.
Both pitchers were in complete control at the start as neither team had a hit in the first three innings.
Whitaker scored the first run of the game. She walked to lead off the fourth and went to second on a wild pitch. Gabbie Hensley squared to bunt, causing CCS third baseman Millie Fox to break toward home. Hensley wasn’t successful in her bunt attempt, but Whitaker stole third with ease and then trotted home with the first run when the throw sailed into left field.
Her solo homer over the fence in center leading off the sixth made it 2-0. Hensley then blooped a ball just past the first-base bag and she raced to second with a double after the ball caromed toward the fence in foul territory.
Courtesy runner Kenslee Stiner then stole third before scoring the third run on another wild pitch.
The Lady Chargers were finally able to get on the board in the bottom of the sixth when Fox tripled down the line in left. She scored on the first of two Silverdale errors in that inning, but Cox escaped further damage when Alli Matthews popped to third for the second out and McKine Layne lined to third for the third.
Allie Weber led off the seventh with Silverdale’s last hit and later scored on a passed ball for a 4-1 lead.
Cox then struck out the side in the seventh to end the game.
Fox and Layne had the only hits for CCS while Heidi Bryant, Whitaker, Hensley and Weber all had one hit apiece for Silverdale.
Silverdale has the rest of the week off before taking part in the Gulf Shores Tournament next week. CCS returns to action on Friday when they host Bledsoe County.
SILVERDALE 000 102 1 – 4 4 2
CHATTANOOGA CHRISTIAN 000 001 0 – 1 2 1
Cox and Hensley; Black and Layne.
(Email John Hunt at nomarathonmoose@gmail.com)