Coach Travis Hale doesn't know if his first Soddy-Daisy softball team is one of destiny or one living on borrowed time. He hopes it's the former.
The Lady Trojans took advantage of a seventh-inning error and defeated Ooltewah 2-1 in the Region 3-AAA championship game Wednesday at Soddy-Daisy. They also won their region semifinal in the bottom of the seventh.
Soddy-Daisy (31-13) will host Lawrence County in Friday's scheduled state sectionals. Ooltewah will play at Region 4 winner Lawrence County. Winners move on to the state tournament.
The Lady Trojans' seventh began with Aminah Wood doubling off the right-field fence. Hale then inserted pinch-runner Alyx Howell.
Courtney Daughtrey got a bunt down, and when Ooltewah was unable to complete the throw and catch, the ball glancing off into foul territory, Howell came around to score.
"We were going to move her to third and then anything can happen," Hale said. "She worked the count and waited on a good pitch she could put down. Then things bounced our way right there."
Ooltewah coach Jon Massey had just had a conference in the pitching circle after the double.
"You've got to make plays," Massey said. "That's what it's all about. We knew they were going to bunt. We didn't make the play on two ends."
That run could've easily been the tying run if not for Soddy-Daisy right-hander Shonna Penney's catch, rather than pitch. The senior found herself in a bases-loaded jam in the top of the inning and slugger Kayla Boseman at bat.
Penney threw one high to the backstop, which catcher Cameren Swafford retrieved. She flipped the ball to Penney covering the plate for the inning-ending out.
"I got there as quick as I could," Penney said. "I'm not that fast of a runner. I just blocked the plate up."
Penney was left with a bruise with spike marks inside.
"It's worth it," she said. "I'll wear it."
Massey said in hindsight it's obvious he would like see Boseman complete the at-bat. But he said that play didn't cost his team the game.
Neither Penney nor losing pitcher Boseman pitched when the teams played last in the District 5 final. Hale said he decided to go with Penney because the Lady Owls had faced Stephanie Blevins the last two times.
Penney gave up five hits and four walks, one intentional, and struck out three.
"That was probably one of her best performances of the year," Hale said. "I'm very proud of her."
Boseman retired the first 13 she faced before Daughtrey singled to right field. After a groundout, pinch-runner Ashley Suttles scored on Kaylin Fugatt's single. Boseman's four-hitter included no walks and six strikeouts.
Ooltewah's run came in the first when Tiera Lemon singled, advanced two bases on a sacrifice bunt and eventually scored when Mabry Carpenter hit into a force play.
"I don't think our mental focus was good at all today, from the first inning, even though we scored then," Massey said. "Now our goal is a little tougher. We're not dead yet. We'll come out Friday and see where we go, but we've got to play a whole lot better than this."
Contact Kelley Smiddie at ksmiddie@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6653.