Reed, Rogers push Meigs closer to title defense
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. — As Aubrey Reed headed to the plate for a sixth-inning at-bat, Meigs County softball coach Jeff Davis called her over with explicit instructions.
“We need some insurance runs. Get a line drive,” he commanded.
The catcher did, actually surpassing the directive. Her bases-loaded liner was still climbing when it rocketed over the fence in straightaway center field, getting the insurance and keying the Lady Tigers’ 7-1 losers-bracket win over Jackson Christian.
The defending champion, Meigs plays again at 10 EDT this morning against the Summertown-Forrest loser. The Lady Tigers had lost 2-1 to Forrest late Wednesday night.
“Coach said keep it low and get a line drive,” Reed said of her opponent-demoralizing grand-slam and second home run of the day.
Her first came in Meigs’ 11-3 elimination of Scotts Hill in the team’s Thursday opener.
“In my book she’s the best softball player in the state, as far as all-around players,” said Davis, who also has pitcher Ashley Rogers. “But I may have the best two players in the state, because I think Ashley is the best pitcher in the state.”
Rogers threw back-to-back four hitters with 25 strikeouts for the day, but she had to be pleased to have Reed’s heroics. The junior catcher, a Toledo commitment, went 4-for-8 in the two games with five runs scored and six RBIs.
“That’s pretty bad when you go 4-for-8 and your batting average drops. She came in hitting .580,” Davis said.
Meigs had 13 hits against Jackson Christian with Kassidy Kenny, Kaylie Moore, Arika Reed, Madison Crabtree and Lindsey Ward getting two apiece.
Against Scotts Hill, Ward homered, Rogers went 3-for4, Crabtree was 2-for-4 with a homer and four RBIs and Arika Reed was 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
Contact Ward Gossett at wgossett@timesfreepress.com or 423-886-4765. Follow him on Twitter @wardgossett.