Lady Owls pounce on Soddy-Daisy, win 12-2

Staff Photo by Doug Strickland/Chattanooga Times Free Press - Gloves lie in a pile in the Lady Trojan Invitational softball tournament Friday, March 29, 2013, in Soddy-Daisy, Tenn.
Staff Photo by Doug Strickland/Chattanooga Times Free Press - Gloves lie in a pile in the Lady Trojan Invitational softball tournament Friday, March 29, 2013, in Soddy-Daisy, Tenn.

Three Lady Owls had three-RBI hits Tuesday as Ooltewah beat Soddy-Daisy 12-2 in five innings in a District 5-AAA high school softball game at Ooltewah.

It marked the second time this season Ooltewah (19-4, 8-1) defeated Soddy-Daisy (19-12, 5-3) by mercy rule. Combined with Walker Valley's 5-1 victory over McMinn County on Tuesday, the Lady Owls now have a two-game lead over the rest of the district field with three games to play.

"We're pretty confident," said third baseman Mabry Carpenter, whose first-inning home run got Ooltewah off to a 3-0 start. "We're all coming out and doing what we do best. We're comfortable knowing our strengths and weaknesses. That's a major part of being a team."

Carpenter routinely has been Ooltewah's No. 5 batter but has been moved up to the cleanup spot normally occupied by Aubbie Collake, who has been suspended because of a violation of a school rule. Ooltewah coach Jon Massey said it's not known at this time whether Collake will be allowed to return to the team.

Carpenter turned on an inside pitch and sailed the ball down the left-field line and over the fence. When asked how she kept it fair Carpenter said, "I don't know. It was low in the strike zone and I just went for it."

Said Massey: "That was big. Any time you get on top, it doesn't matter who you're playing, it gets everybody ready to go."

The Lady Owls loaded the bases later in the first and No. 9 batter Addy Keylon cleared them when she doubled into a wide gap in left-center.

Ally Chernak and Shelby Sutton paced Ooltewah's 16-hit attack. Chernak was 3-for-3 and scored three runs and Sutton was 3-for-4 with an RBI and two runs scored.

Winning pitcher Kayla Boseman matched Carpenter with a 2-for-3 game that included a three-run homer in the third. Jadyn Raschke was 2-for-2 and scored a run and Tyler Sullivan chipped in with a solo home run in the fourth, shortly before Lady Trojans starting pitcher Stephanie Blevins was taken out.

"If we can hit the ball like that, against a quality opponent, against a quality pitcher, it gives us hope down the line," Massey said. "I thought that girl ran it up there pretty good. We just hit it well."

Boseman allowed four hits and had six strikeouts, and the Lady Owls played without errors behind her. Her only walk was in the fourth, and it was followed by a home run by Aminah Wood, who went 2-for-2.

Contact Kelley Smiddie at ksmiddie@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6653. Follow him on Twitter @KelleySmiddie.

Upcoming Events