The Alcoa Tornadoes faced Decatur County-Riverside in the first round of the TSSAA Class 2A state tournament at Starplex on Tuesday, May 24, 2022, in Murfreesboro, Tennessee. Alcoa won 4-3 in nine innings. (Photo by Danny Parker)
BY JESSE SMITHEY
MURFREESBORO – Um, wow.
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That’s all you can say about what the Oliver Springs and Alcoa high school softball teams pulled off Tuesday.
Oliver Springs, making its first Class A appearance since 2013, scored 22 — TWENTY-TWO — runs in a 22-2, opening-round win over Peabody.
The Lady Bobcats (21-6) scored four in the first, four in the second, three in the third and 11 in the fourth. They banged out 20 hits and collected six walks.
The first five hitters in Oliver Springs’ lineup went 14 for 21 at the plate with 13 RBIs.
Megan Armstrong went 4 for 5 with 5 RBIs. Ella Hampton was 3 for 5 with 3 RBIs and leadoff hitter Chloe Lackey was 3 for 4 with five runs scored. Coe Murray was 3 for 4 with three RBIs.
Oliver Springs will take on Huntland (22-5) at 10 a.m. Wednesday morning.
In Class 2A, Alcoa (26-12) got its first-ever win in a state tournament game, garnering that in dramatic fashion — walking off the win in the bottom of the ninth inning. Kara Pitts scored the game-winning run off a shot to first base by Trinity Hodge.
Adrianna King led Alcoa with a 3 for 3 day with two RBIs.
Alcoa advanced to face Community (25-11) at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday.
IN OTHER GAMES
Harriman battled back from two deficits to tie Dresden twice in a Class 1A first-round game, but Dresden plated two in the top of the seventh to pull away for good, 5-3.
Harriman senior Lily Taylor went 2 for 4 with two RBIs. The Blue Devils (20-4) fell into the losers bracket and will face Jo Byrns at 10 a.m. Wednesday in an elimination game.
Meigs County (23-6) dropped a 5-2 contest to Forrest in the Class 2A first round. Meigs led 2-0 after the first three innings but couldn’t hold on. The Lady Tigers will play Loretto at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday in an elimination contest.