For this class of Red Bank High School seniors, Central has been more than a formidable regular-season rival on the softball field. The Lady Purple Pounders have also been tough to handle in the postseason, keeping the Lionettes from multiple District 6-AA tournament titles.
Not this year.
Red Bank beat Central 11-1 in five innings Tuesday at Signal Mountain to cap a perfect 10-0 run against district opponents.
"It's exciting because it feels like it's been four years in the making," Hannah Wood said. "It's also emotional because it's our last run together as seniors. We're excited to take it one game at a time from here and try and get to state."
Wood pitched all five innings and was a big part of bringing Red Bank the title. She allowed one run on just three hits and a walk while striking out five. She added three hits, including a solo homer, and two runs batted in.
"This was one of the better games I've pitched all year," she said. "I feel like some pitches that haven't been working well this season came together tonight and during the tournament. My rise and my curve - my curve is my dominant pitch, and it hasn't been working lately, so it's been good to get it working."
The Lionettes provided Wood with run support from the start, scoring four runs in the bottom of the first inning. Destiny Painter led off with a single and immediately stole second. Two batters later, Wood drove her in with a double. The next four batters reached to score three runs, including RBI hits from Zoe Helms and Bailee Phillips.
Red Bank totaled nine hitters in the inning and sent eight to bat in the second. Painter led off with a triple this time and scored on Lexie Wright's sacrifice fly. Wood followed with a double and scored on an error.
"This team has hit well," Lionettes coach Mandi Munn said. "Of course, as a coach you're never satisfied, and I want them to be even more aggressive at the plate, but they did what they need to to score runs. Being undefeated in the district is a big change for us. It gives us confidence that we're doing what we need to. We just have to stay grounded and focused."
The bats stayed hot in the third inning as Sami Shrader plated Wright, who had walked. Red Bank did not score in the fourth but came back to put the game away the next inning with another four-run outburst.
Wood started that barrage with her two-out blast. Shrader then reached on an error, and Shelby Romans and Helms added back-to-back doubles, with Helms' scoring two. Kelsey Peden singled in Helms to end the game.
Wood's only trouble came in the second. She hit Kerri Sylvester with a pitch to start the frame, and Mikayla Gill followed with a single to get Sylvester over to third. Cassidy Simms provided Central's only run with a sacrifice fly. Wood settled in and did not face more than four batters in an inning the rest of the way.
"We were happy to be the ones playing Red Bank in the final," first-year Central coach Randy Crawford said. "The big game was earlier in the day because it put us in the region (tournament). It's been a tough year. We've played a lot of tournaments against good teams to get ready for these moments, and we're coming up at the right time. Some girls have really stepped it up in this tournament, and the team has come together."
Painter, Wright, Wood and Shrader were selected all-district from Red Bank. Sylvester, Gill, Simms and Amanda Roy were selected from Central.
Contact Idris Garcia at sports@timesfreepress.com.