Whitwell clobbers South Pittsburg
SOUTH PITTSBURG, Tenn. — As dominantly as Anna Yell was pitching, she wasn’t going to need much offensive help.
Boy, did her Whitwell softball teammates give her more than enough anyway.
Every Lady Tigers batter collected at least one hit as they pounded out 16 total, while Yell allowed just three hits and totaled seven strikeouts in an 11-1 six-inning whipping of host South Pittsburg for the District 5-A championship Friday evening.
“When we’re hitting like that, I don’t think anybody in our class can stop us,” said Yell, who also had two hits, including an RBI double, and scored twice.
The Lady Tigers had already run-ruled the Lady Pirates in their two previous meetings, but there was no overlooking their cross-county foes. After Whitwell took the lead in the third inning, the six-run fourth blew the game open.
“We approached this game like we would against anybody,” Yell added. “It didn’t matter what we had done against them earlier. We had to focus on this game and take care of business.
“It really helped my confidence when we got those six runs. That was big because I could just relax and throw.”
After allowing a run in the first inning — Hunter Elwood scored on Dara Durham’s single — Yell settled in to record 13 straight outs before giving up a sixth-inning single. The Lady Tigers, who graduated just one starter from last year’s state tournament team, answered with a run of their own in the home half of the first on Maddie Jordan’s sacrifice fly.
Whitwell, which had six extra-base hits, took the lead in the third on Caitlin Rollins’ two-run home run that sailed well over the fence in center field, which is 205 feet from the plate. The fourth inning was highlighted by Raylon Smith’s two-run double and Yell’s RBI double, as well as run-scoring hits by Jordan and Cameron Haag.
“We always talk about how hitting is contagious,” Whitwell coach Rebecca Castle said. “When we decide to play, we can be really good.
“Once we got the lead, the more confidence Anna pitches with, the tougher she gets. She works hard for her team.”
Jordan, Rollins and Sydney Perkins each had three hits for Whitwell, while Yell and Haag had two each. The Lady Tigers and Lady Pirates will have next week off before beginning the Region 3-A tournament.
Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6293. Follow him on Twitter @StephenHargis.