Diamond Lady Ads take care of Central
At home on Bellamy Field against Knoxville Central High School Friday, April 4, Farragut’s softball team benefited from the axiom that “all runs count, no matter how they’re scored.”
The Lady Admirals jumped to a 5-0 lead in the first inning despite getting only two hits. Errors and shaky pitching by the Lady Bobcats contributed greatly to the five runs, and unfortunately for Central, lasted throughout the game.
The final score of this non-district game was 11-2, which improved FHS’s record to 19-4.
“Pretty good showing,” Lady Admirals skipper Nick Green said. “Zoe (Cranford, who replaced Central’s starter after only two batters) came in, but I don’t think she was completely warmed up because she struggled with her command.”
Lady Bobcats pitching in the first inning included a walk, a hit batsman, a wild pitch and an error. Senior UT signee Elsa Morrison stroked an RBI double.
“We didn’t do a whole lot offensively, even though we put up five runs and put them behind the 8-ball real quick,” Green said.
Central cut it to 5-2 with single runs in the second and third inning. With two outs in the third, Green replaced starter Ava Barnes with Hallie Grace Johnson. Johnson came in with runners on first and third, then loaded the bases with a walk before a strikeout ended the threat.
“It was a good outing for Johnson, not that Barnes pitched badly,” Green said.
“If we make a couple defensive plays in the top of the third, Barnes probably gets to keep pitching,” the Lady Ads skipper added.
Johnson gave up a single hit over four-and-two-thirds innings. She struck out seven and walked four.
Farragut made it 6-2 in the third, then pulled away with three more in the fourth.
Logan Jameson hit an inside-the-park home run to make it 7-2. Rylee Raby’s triple was then followed by Morrison’s second double to make it 8-2. Johnson’s popup was misplayed, which allowed Morrison to score and push the lead to 9-2.
FHS completed the scoring in the fifth when Amelia Dorset’s bunt scored Callie Brown, who had singled, and moved to third on Taylor Albright’s double.
Jameson’s double then scored Alright. Twice the Lady Ads had chances to build a 10-run deficit, invoking the run-rule, but couldn’t convert.
“We were able to manufacture some runs with sacrifice bunting, fake bunting, some steals, delayed steals, pretty much everything, trying to get ready for postseason play,” Green said.
