Farragut is 2-0 so far this week in the 2022 TSSAA Class 4A State Tournament. (Photo: Charles Mays Media).
BY JESSE SMITHEY
MURFREESBORO – They’re not quite shoo-ins for the championship games just yet.
But the softball teams at Farragut and Alcoa are definitely in Position A to reach them
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Farragut, which won it all in Class 3A last season, is seeking to win 4A in the classification’s first year of existence in TSSAA softball.
They’re doing a good job so far.
The Lady Admirals (41-3-1) followed an opening-round win Tuesday with a resounding 11-2 win over Springfield on Wednesday.
Tennessee Tech signee and left-hander Avery Flatford, who dominated Tuesday with 16 strikeouts, crafted a five-hitter with 12 strikeouts Wednesday. She held Springfield (30-5) in check until the Lady Admirals’ offense could post some runs.
They did that in the sixth with eight runs to break open a 1-1 game.
“My mindset was just attacking the zone and trusting that my teammates had my back tonight,” said Flatford.
“I believed in them and they believed in me. And that’s all we needed.”
Farragut’s Autumn Caywood triggered the sixth-inning surge for Farragut, belting a three-run homer in the top half of the inning and catapulting her to a 3-for-3 day at the plate. She finished with four RBIs.
Addison Pressley added an RBI double in the sixth, and Sarah Livingston singled in two runs, too.
Farragut batted around in the sixth, and Caywood added another RBI — this time on a single to left.
“Hitting the home run was exciting because it got a rally going,” said Caywood, “and I think that it helped everyone calm down knowing we got a lead.”
Farragut will play Clarksville (34-10) at 5:30 p.m. Central time on Thursday in the semifinal round. The winner advances to Friday’s championship game and will have to be beaten twice Friday to not win the title.
The loser of Thursday’s Farragut/Clarksville game will play at 9 a.m. Friday for a chance to reach the state final.
ALCOA 2-0 THIS WEEK
The Alcoa Tornadoes are 2-0 so far this week at the Class 2A state tournament. (Photo by Danny Parker)
Sure, much was made enter the Spring Fling of Alcoa having never won a state softball tournament game.
But this week, the Lady Ts (27-12) look like tournament veterans.
After winning in extra innings Tuesday, Alcoa came back Wednesday with a solid 4-0 victory over Community (25-12) in the Class 2A second round.
Adrianna King, a freshman, pitched all seven innings for Alcoa and allowed just two hits.
She struck out seven Community batters and walked none.
“Community was a very good team. I’m just so proud of (King’s) maturity on the mound,” said Alcoa coach Sarah Fekete Bailey. “So far, we’ve started two freshman (this week), and brought (senior) Cassa (Arnold) in to close out the first game. I think that’s the thing we were missing in 2019 (state appearance). We really only had one pitcher.
“And so, when everybody’s trying to ride their one arm, we have an advantage because we have three kids we can throw. They all have different strengths and weaknesses and abilities. I’m confident with any of them on the mound.”
King’s battery mate, sophomore catcher Olivia Emert, helped her starter’s cause with a 4-for-4 performance at the plate. That include an RBI in the third off her solo home run.
Alcoa will play Forrest at 5:30 p.m. Central time on Thursday for the right to move on to Friday’s championship game. The loser of the Alcoa/Forrest contest will drop into a 9 a.m. Central time game Friday. The winner of that 9 a.m. game will play in the state final but will have to win twice to win a championship.
Bailey is hoping the Tornado bats create more insurance runs going forward. They left 15 runners on base Wednesday, including three in both the final two innings.
“We have to do a better job of taking advantage of opportunities,” Bailey said. “But for the most part, that game could have been a very different outcome. We started almost two hours late (because of weather delays) … I just challenged our kids to be focused and that the team that had the mental game together today was going to win this ballgame.
“And they were focused from the first pitch. I’m just really proud of their intensity.”