FHS softball starts fast in 4-AAA tourney, beats Hardin Valley
Farragut High School softball head coach David Moore saw his team put up a balanced offensive effort in a 10-1 victory over Hardin Valley Academy in the second round of District 4-AAA Tournament at Bellamy Field last week.
But he singled out a defensive star in this Friday, May 5, game.
Senior left fielder Delaney Weller came up big with the Lady Hawks threatening in the top of the first inning. She gunned down Sydney Dukes at the plate in the top of the first and changed the complexion of the game when HVA had the bases loaded.
And that was only the beginning for Weller, who made a diving catch and added another outfield assist. “She made a great play for us when they had the bases loaded and we really needed it,” Moore said. “She played great defense tonight but she’s done that every time that we’ve put her out there over the last four years.”
“I knew that I had to make those plays for my teammates and it was big for us to get out of that first inning,” Weller said. “It felt great to make those plays.”
Despite Weller’s success in this game, the No. 2 seed Lady Admirals fell to 27-7 after losing a winner’s bracket game against Heritage 2-1 in eight innings Monday, May 8, at HHS.
Farragut played Maryville, with the loser’s season ended, Tuesday, May 9 [after deadline]. The winner advances to Region 2-AAA Tournament play next week.
After escaping the top of the opening frame versus HVA, the Lady Ads let their bats take over.
Farragut scored three times in the bottom of the frame.
Andrea Sarhatt, FHS’s junior center fielder, started the rally with a one-out infield single and stole second. Lexee Lamoree then reached on an error and both would score on a double by Kelsie Tuggle. Tuggle scored thanks to a pair of throwing errors.
Third-seeded Hardin Valley (22-11-1) got a leadoff single from Jodie Parham in the second but she was stranded in scoring position as Callie Moore retired the next three hitters in the frame.
Farragut extended its lead to 4-0 in the bottom of the third. Lamoree singled and scored when Callie Moore reached on an error.
The Lady Hawks scored its lone run in the fourth when Mariah Hall, freshman first baseman, doubled and later scored.
After HVA sophomore pitcher Emalee McCord struck out the side in the bottom of the fourth, the Lady Hawks attempted to mount a two-out rally. Leigha Gray and Mikaela Chavis singled, but Weller threw out a runner at third to end the threat.
Tuggle singled and scored in the fifth to make it 5-1.
Farragut scored five in the sixth inning. Lamoree drove in a pair with a two-run double. Weller added an RBI single. Tuggle added a sacrifice fly and Callie Moore knocked in a run with a double.
“We all swung the bats well today,” said Tuggle, who went 2-for-3 with a double, two runs and three RBI.
