Ooltewah, GPS rip foes

If Ooltewah and GPS aren’t the best high school softball teams in the Chattanooga area this spring, they sure looked the part Friday.

The Lady Owls and GPS’s Bruisers not only were among the teams that went unbeaten in pool play in the 18th Lady Trojan Inivitational at Soddy Lake Kids’ Park, but both squashed their competition along the way. The two outdistanced their competition 65-5.

The tournament resumes this morning at 9 with single-elimination games in Gold and Silver brackets. Championship games are scheduled to start at 6 p.m.

Ooltewah’s performance featured the Holly Thomas show. The senior standout began her day by striking out each of the nine batters she faced before being relieved from pitching in a 16-0 five-inning victory over Polk County. She also homered twice in that game, went 3-for-3 and had four RBIs.

After the Lady Owls defeated Boyd-Buchanan 10-3, Thomas pitched a six-inning three-hitter with 17 strikeouts and they defeated Ravenwood 5-0. Thomas also went 2-for-3 with a triple and three RBIs.

“She played well,” Ooltewah coach Norma Nelson said. “She hit the ball well and threw the ball well. She picked up a movement pitch that has really helped her. She also seems very determined. She’s wanting to get it done.”

Thomas had plenty of help, too. Kristin Whitmire, Bri Shoemake and Kaitlin Neil were each 3-for-3 in the win over the Lady Bucs. They totaled eight RBIs and scored seven runs.

Shoemake and Lexie Whittenburg had two each of Ooltewah’s 12 extra-base hits in its opener. About the only thing Nelson could find to pick at was a few missed signs.

“Mentally we didn’t do some things,” Nelson said. “I was happy with the physical part.”

GPS pounded Bledsoe County 20-0 and did so while making nine outs. Kamri Chester, C.C. Gordon and Maddie Smith homered in the same inning.

Chester was one of four Bruisers with two hits in a 10-2 victory over Morristown West. One of her hits was a double and she drove in three runs.

Jessica Phillips went 3-for-3 when GPS beat Cookeville 4-0 in a late game.

“We hit the ball well,” GPS coach Susan Crownover said. “I can’t complain about that at all. Both of our pitchers threw well. They all seem excited about playing and enjoy one another’s company. I think that’s half the battle.”

Host Soddy-Daisy also went unscathed through pool play, outscoring Stone Memorial, Pigeon Forge and Jefferson County 27-2.

Crimson Robinson and Alesha Buckner each pitched a shutout. Jena Hale tripled in the first and third games.

Soddy-Daisy coach Clifford Kirk said he saw some good things and some bad things. Many of the bad ones he thinks will change as his youthful players gain experience.

“We hit the ball well, we got pretty good pitching and the defense was solid for the most part,” Kirk said. “A lot of the things that I saw happen that were good were things we’d been working on the last month.”