Grace rallies with 3-2 win in the seventh
Thursday, May 21st, 2009Article by: Stan Crawley / Chattanoogan.com
MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -- Grace Academy overcame early controversy, scored two runs in the top of the seventh and defeated Friendship Christian, 3-2, in the Class A state softball tournament here Thursday morning.
Grace (33-8-2) will play again Thursday night at 6 eastern in the losers bracket against Cornersville, which beat Huntingdon, 1-0, Thursday morning.
At the start of the game, Grace coach Tina Walker listed her injured daughter, Lacye, as the flex, opting to keep her off the field but available if needed.
The umpires ruled Lacye Walker must be on the field, and she was entered at first base despite injury problems with her right shoulder, hip, hamstring and quadricep.
Later TSSAA officials said the umpires were wrong, but that the decision could not be changed.
"The TSSAA officials told us around the third inning that our coaches were right,'' Grace athletic director Les Compton said. "Then they went away and didn't tell us until the end of the game that they didn't come back because the umpires' ruling must stand. Still, that was wrong and unprofessional not to tell us what was happening until the game was over.''
Said coach Walker, "We just wanted to use Lacye if we needed her, and they said the flex must be on the field. I thought it got our team down, but they battled back and did not let the circumstances hinder their goal.''
Friendship (27-16) took a 2-0 lead with runs in the bottom of the second and third innings.
In the top of the sixth, Bethany Cowart reached on an error for Grace and after another Friendship error scored on fielder's choice.
In the top of the seventh, Mara Reeves led off with a single for Grace and was sacrificed to second by Reagan Schrader.
Noel Bartley followed with an RBI single that tied the game at 2 and moved to third on an error by the left-fielder. Bartley then scored the game-winning run on Courtney Patrick's sacrifice fly.
"This team won't get down,'' coach Walker said. "They just keep fighting and won't give up. They executed when they had to.''
Winter Simpson picked up the win for Grace, pitching five innings and giving up six hits. Lacye Walker picked up the win, striking out four in the last two innings.
"Lacye is hurt, and two innings was all she had,'' coach Walker said. "She really sucked it up and did a good job out there.''
The Automated ScoreBook
Grace Baptist Acad. vs Friendship Christian
May 21, 2009 at Murfreesboro, TN (A Starplex #4)
Grace Baptist Acad. 3 (33-8-2) Friendship Christian 2 (27-16)
Player AB R H BI Player AB R H BI
Bethany Cowart rf/dh....... 3 1 1 0 Camille Cross c............ 3 1 2 0
Lexie Dean 1b/rf........... 3 0 1 0 Sarah Huddleston cf........ 3 0 2 1
Jessie Parker 3b........... 4 0 1 1 Laurel Burroughs ss........ 2 0 0 0
Erika Goodman pr.......... 0 0 0 0 Brooke Klinefelter p....... 3 0 0 0
Winter Simpson dh/p........ 3 0 1 0 Amber Hunt rf.............. 3 1 1 0
Kaitlyn Eldridge ss........ 3 0 0 0 Shelby McDonald lf......... 3 0 0 0
Mara Reeves cf............. 3 1 1 0 Addie Couch 3b............. 2 0 1 0
Reagan Schrader c.......... 2 0 0 0 Megan Reeves 1b............ 1 0 0 0
Noel Bartley 2b............ 3 1 1 0 Elizabeth Petty ph........ 1 0 0 0
Courtney Patrick lf........ 2 0 1 1 Hunter Holland 2b.......... 2 0 0 0
Lacye Walker p/1b.......... 0 0 0 0
Totals..................... 26 3 7 2 Totals..................... 23 2 6 1
Score by Innings R H E
Grace Baptist Acad.. 000 001 2 - 3 7 2
Friendship Christian 011 000 0 - 2 6 4
E - Parker; Patrick; Burroughs 2; McDonald 2. LOB - GoldenEagles 6; Commanders 1. 2B
- Cross. SH - Cowart; Dean; Schrader; Burroughs. SF - Patrick. CS - Patrick; Couch.
Grace Baptist Acad. IP H R ER BB SO WP BK HP IBB AB BF FO GO
Winter Simpson ............ 5.0 6 2 1 0 2 0 0 0 0 17 18 3 7
Lacye Walker W............ 2.0 0 0 0 0 4 0 0 0 0 6 6 1 1
Friendship Christian IP H R ER BB SO WP BK HP IBB AB BF FO GO
Brooke Klinefelter L...... 7.0 7 3 0 0 2 0 0 0 0 26 30 4 14
Strikeouts - Parker; Schrader; Huddleston; Klinefelter; Hunt 2; McDonald; Petty.
Umpires -
Start: 10:01 am Time: 1 hr 54 Attendance
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