Late Rally Leads To Donelson Win Over Silverdale In DII-A Title Game

Lady Eagles Notch 4-3 Win To Claim Title

  • Thursday, May 22, 2025
  • Joy Fisk
Members of Silverdale's softball team pose with the runner-up trophy following their 4-3 loss to Donelson Christian Academy.
Members of Silverdale's softball team pose with the runner-up trophy following their 4-3 loss to Donelson Christian Academy.
photo by Joy Fisk

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -- The Seahawks clawed their way back from a devastating loss against Donelson Christian Academy in the first game of the state tournament, winning the next two games on Wednesday and then going on to win the first game against Donelson in the championship game at MTSU. The double elimination meant that if Donelson had won today’s first game, the championship would be theirs, but Silverdale’s win in the final inning of the game, reminiscent of their close-call win the day prior, forced a third game, which the Lady Seahawks lost by only a single run, 4-3.

The game was a close one with both sides fighting hard for every run. Donelson led off with two runs in the first inning after a homerun by the Wildcats’ Madison McHenry, which Silverdale answered with a run in the bottom of the first inning. Jaliyah Whitaker tripled and then earned a walk off on a sacrifice fly by Braylee Raby.

Donelson scored again in the third inning, increasing their lead to 3 to 1, but in the bottom of the fourth inning, the Seahawks’ pitcher Bita Cox hit a homerun, earning two runs and tying the game at 3 runs apiece. The fifth and sixth innings were scoreless on both sides, and it looked as if the seventh might be too until, with the bases loaded, Donelson was able to score a single run. The pressure was on the Seahawks to score in the bottom of the seventh inning, but they were unable to do it.

While Silverdale had seven hits to Donelson’s four, both teams had strong pitching and strong defense, and ultimately a couple of errors by the Seahawks played a role in their loss. It was always going to be a tough game for the Seahawks who were on their fifth game over two days with talented pitcher Bita Cox pitching all but one inning. Taking the runner-up spot in the state tournament is no small thing, but for the Seahawks, who won the last two in a row, they felt the loss keenly.

For the Seahawks’ head coach Jackie Freelend, she was most sad about not being able to bring home the win for her two seniors, shortstop Emry Masterson and catcher Gabbie Hensley, who have played for her since the seventh grade. After the game, the usually stoic Freelend had a few tears herself. “Man, it was a tough loss…I'm just really proud of him. I told them not to hang their head because they had an incredible season, and nobody thought after losing 10 to nothing that we would be here. So, I am really just proud of them. I don't think anybody thought we would be here. So just to be here and have a chance, you know, that was all I could ask for.”

For Donelson, the win was a long time in coming. Pitcher Bailey Goad said, “This means a lot to us. My freshman year, we actually got second, so we have always said since then, ‘unfinished business,’ which I ended sophomore year with a broken forearm. So that cut us short and then last year we got out in the eight. So we really had a target, and we knew we wanted to get it done and we weren't going to stop until it was done. So it means a lot.”

Head Coach for the Wildcats Laurel Sloane said she told her players to “play loose and have fun” before the second game. She told her players, “You know, at the end of the day, win or lose, you know, we were one of the two best teams in the state. And you got there, no matter the outcome, win, lose, you go out there, play your hardest and give it your all, and you're going to walk off feeling like you've done something.” When asked what contributed to their win, she said, “They've worked hard all season. They have stayed the path. We've dealt with some things…injuries and things like that, but they had this goal all along. And whatever that path looked like, that was always the end goal.”

Many of the teachers and administrators had come out to support their respective schools as they fought for the state tournament title. Silverdale’s Head of School Becky Hansard was proud of the Seahawks, not just for what they accomplished, but for how they represented Silverdale and ultimately how they handled loss. “I feel like they did awesome to come back from 10 to 0, the very first game in a defeat like that and then fight and claw their way all the way back to today, and then have a score like we have four to three. I'm so proud of them. I'm so very proud of both teams, but I'm especially proud of Silverdale. It's easy to win. It's hard to lose, and they've done it with character.”

Donelson     201 111 1 - 4 4 1

Silverdale     100 200 0 - 3 7 2

Baker, Goad (5) and Scales; Cox and Hensley.

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