Chattanooga Christian's Madison Blevins pitches in the game against Sequatchie County Thursday, March 30, 2017 at Chattanooga Christian School.Last spring, Lisa Gray was given the task of revitalizing a once-proud Chattanooga Christian high school softball program.
As of Thursday night, she's in charge of District 7-AA's current first-place team.
The youthful Lady Chargers looked anything but youthful Thursday afternoon on their home field while taking down three-time defending champion Sequatchie County 4-1 in a district game.
Chattanooga Christian School (5-4) moved to 3-0 in league play while handing the Lady Indians their first loss of the season in eight games, including three in district play.
Every Lady Charger who played Thursday was a sophomore, freshman or eighth-grader. Last year's group played Sequatchie three times - the last in the district tournament final - with each loss closer than the one before.
"I think last year we grew up a lot," Gray said. "We were very young - younger than we are this year. But I think we're seeing that payoff, as far as maturity.
"I feel like this year we're picking up where we left off."
CCS scored twice each in the third and fifth innings. Rachel Kay had a sacrifice fly in the third and a run-scoring double in the fifth.
The Lady Chargers managed six hits, including Shelby Houts' third-inning RBI single, and also drew six walks, with another batter hit by a pitch. Five walks came off losing pitcher Emily Yell, with two of them scoring.
"We're familiar with that pitcher," Gray said of Yell. "She had our number last year. I think the kids came out today with the mindset that they were going to win the battle."
Winning pitcher Madison Hollis allowed five hits - two by Amber Kilgore, including a sixth-inning home run to center field - but did not issue a walk until she was one out away from ending it.
"We've got to be more disciplined," Sequatchie coach Kelly Somerville said. "That's something we've preached to them, too. Sometimes they're so anxious wanting to hit, wanting to be the hero, when drawing that walk to get some momentum going your way is what we need. But I will say when it comes to looking at strike three, I'll take aggressive over that all day long."
Hollis registered two strikeouts but got 14 outs via groundballs.
"She has amazing movement," Gray said. "And she does a great job of letting her defense work."
Somerville said she didn't think her team was overconfident coming in but instead looked tired after playing an afternoon home game Wednesday against Whitwell in front of the student body in 80-degree heat.
"That's my fault on the tough scheduling. They have a good team," Somerville said of the Lady Indians. "They have most of their kids back from last year. We knew they were going to be a good team. Their pitcher threw a lot of stuff. It's good for us in the early season. It will help us learn how to be mentally and physically prepared for the next time. We've got to work through that."
Sequatchie has three district games and a nondistrict doubleheader before the teams meet again next Thursday in Dunlap at 7 p.m. EDT. The Lady Chargers have a weekend tournament and another district game before then.
"There's a long way to go," Gray said. "I just feel so blessed to be here."
Contact Kelley Smiddie at ksmiddie@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6653. Follow him on Twitter @KelleySmiddie.