by Stan Crawley
posted May 8, 2008
) Photo by Heidi Moses. District 6-AAA champion Ooltewah Lady Owls. |
Aided by two Soddy-Daisy errors in the bottom of the eight, Ooltewah defeated the Lady Trojans, 3-2, Thursday night for the District 6-AAA high school fastpitch softball championship.
The victory was the third straight for the Lady Owls after losing early in the season to Soddy-Daisy, which had not lost to Ooltewah in the last eight years.
"That was sweet,'' Ooltewah coach Norma Nelson said. "But it wasn't easy. It's been a long time since we've won a district championship.''
Ooltewah and Soddy-Daisy each advance to next week's Region 3 Tournament.
Monday's schedule: 7 p.m. -- Bradley Central at Ooltewah; TBA--Soddy-Daisy at Rhea County.
In the bottom of the eighth at Jim Lovell Field, Lexie Whitenburg led off with a walk for Ooltewah. Sara Kelley laid down a sacrifice bunt, but the ball was thrown away and into right field.
Soddy-Daisy's right-fielder then threw to third base, but the ball got away and Whitenburg scored the winning run.
"I'm so proud of this bunch,'' Nelson said. "Soddy-Daisy tied it on us, but we just kept fighting. I'm real happy with this win.''
Ooltewah took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first, but Soddy-Daisy tied the game with runs in the top of the fourth and fifth.
Ooltewah junior Bri Shoemake was 3-for-4 with a two-run single in the first. She also had a key triple during Tuesday's win over Soddy-Daisy.
""It feels good to help the seniors get a district championship,'' Shoemake said. "They have done a good job leading this team.
"But we want to make it far, and we can if we keep playing as a team.''
Winning pitcher Holly Thomas gave up six hits, struck out nine and walked seven. Soddy-Daisy stranded 11.
"Holly walked a lot, but she fought back,'' Nelson said. "She could have folded, but she didn't. She just kept getting the big outs.''
Alesha Buckner took the loss, allowing nine hits. She struck out six and walked two.
Thomas had two hits for nationally ranked Ooltewah and Tabitha Farrow added a double.
Alex Everett and Kali Henderson had two hits each for Soddy-Daisy, and Henderson doubled. Ashlee England also had a double for Soddy-Daisy that hit the top of the center-field fence and bounced back into play.
Ooltewah stranded 10 in the game that didn't start until 8 p.m. due to rain.
SCORING HIGHLIGHTS:
Ooltewah 1st: Leadoff single Kristin Whitmire. After one out, Holly Thomas reached on E-5. Two-out, two-RBI single Bri Shoemake. Ooltewah 2-0.
Soddy-Daisy 4th: Jena Hale leadoff walk. Whitney Johnson reach on E-5. Andie Johnson single. After one out, sacrifice fly Taylor Wilson. Ooltewah 2-1.
Soddy-Daisy 5th: Leadoff walk Alex Everette. Two-out RBI double Kali Henderson. Game tied at 2.
Ooltewah 8th: Lexie Whitenburg leadoff walk. Sara Kelley sacrifice bunt. Ball thrown away at first base (E-2). Ball thrown away at third base (E-9) scoring Whitenburg.
LINESCORE
Soddy-Daisy......000 110 00 -- 2 6 3
Ooltewah.........200 000 01 -- 3 9 1
Buckner and Wilson; Thomas and Neil.
(E-mail Stan Crawley at wscrawley@earthlink.net)
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