Staff Photo by Dan Henry / The Chattanooga Times Free Press- 5/24/16. GPS's Jamisha Dunigan (5) scores a run while playing Pope John Paul II during the TSSAA Division II Class AA Girls' Softball Tournament in Murfreesboro, TN., on May 24, 2016. MURFREESBORO, Tenn - GPS softball coach Susan Crownover was concerned that perhaps all the rest her team had recently might lead to some "rust" in the state tournament. But starting out, it was Pope John Paul II that looked to be a little rusty.
Two errors in the first inning helped Crownover's Bruisers get three runs, and they took advantage of more in due time. But they also totaled 14 hits in a 10-4 victory at Starplex No. 3.
GPS (24-11), which hadn't played in two weeks because of having a bye in the first round of the Division II-AA playoffs and a forfeit win in the second, will play again Thursday at Starplex No. 3 at 12:30 p.m. EDT against today's winner between Baylor (34-4) and St. Benedict (17-20). That game is at McKnight No. 3 at 11 a.m. EDT.
Hannah Kincer, the winning pitcher, had a two-run single in the first inning.
Another error by JPII (21-15) led to another unearned run that Haley Smith drove in to make it 4-1 in the fifth. Sydney White singled in the Bruisers' first earned run later in the inning.
A five-run sixth for GPS included two more errors by the Lady Knights. It also included a home run by Kincer, who finished 3-for-5 with five RBIs.
Nine of the Bruisers' hits were in the last three innings.
"They opened the door for us a little bit, and we got on the board," Crownover said. "We needed it. We didn't hit for a while."
Crownover praised her team's defensive performance, particularly that of shortstop Macie Stanfield. Even though GPS gave up a run in the first, two runners were thrown out at home that inning.
"We got two at the plate and threw another runner out at second later in the game," Crownover said. "Our defense played well early or things could've broken open for them."
Smith was 4-for-5 for the Bruisers. Ariana Whatley was 2-for-4 with an RBI, and Lilly Berger was 2-for-4 with a run scored.
Contact Kelley Smiddie at ksmiddie@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6653. Follow him at twitter.com/KelleySmiddie.