Central shortstop Alexis Grampp watches as her 3-run homer flies over the centerfield fense on Thursday, April 9, 2015 at Central. Grampp put Central ahead 3-0 early in the game. Grampp, a shortstop, was a star last year as Central finished third in the Class AA state tournament, while Benedict, a catcher, is a recent transfer from Ringgold High School after her family moved into Central's zone.
"I've only known Reagan about a week - we've just done some throwing - but she's a good girl and she seems like a good catcher. She has a good arm, and from what I've heard she's a good contact hitter," Lady Purple Pounders coach LeeAnne Shurette said Sunday. "Alexis is definitely one of our leaders - we've got a really good group of seniors. She bats fourth for us - she hits a lot of home runs - and at short she's got really good range and a strong arm. She's just a good all-around ballplayer, even on the bases. She's tall but has deceptive speed, and she's quick."
Grampp and Benedict committed in the fall and followed through in the group signing ceremony at Chipola.
Track & Field
' The University of Tennessee at Chattanooga's women's track and field team opened its indoor season Sunday at the Emory Crossplex Invitational in Birmingham, Ala. Notable finishes for UTC came from Anna Kate Chance (sixth place, 3,000-meter run, 10:35.45), Teghan Henderson (sixth, mile run, 5 minutes and 3.72 seconds), Nicole Sumida (seventh, high jump, 1.47 meters), Katie DeMars (10th, 3,000-meter run, 11:18.81), Madison Watson (10th, 800-meter run, 2:27.20) and Jessica York (10th, mile run, 5:10.89). The Mocs' next competition is the Middle Tennessee Invitational on Feb. 6 in Murfreesboro.
Basketball
' Tennessee Wesleyan College's men's basketball team, on top of the Appalachian Athletic Conference standings, routed North Carolina's Montreat College 108-85 in their league matchup Sunday in Athens, and the TWC women helped make it a sweep of the afternoon doubleheader with their 77-59 victory.
In the men's game, Trey Suttles was 5-of-7 from behind the 3-point line in a 17-point performance for the Bulldogs (16-1, 10-1), who are 19th in the NAIA Division II coaches poll. Suttles also led his team with eight rebounds.
Devante' Jenkins added 16 points and seven rebounds, with other double-figure scoring performances from Jordan Hall (14 points), Ikeem Bergeron (10) and Matt Brown (10). Point guard Charles White had nine assists and four steals for TWC, which led 56-41 at halftime.
In the women's game, four starters for TWC (8-6, 8-4) scored in double figures, and Jara Gasper capitalized on a busy day at the foul line by making 15 of 18 free throws in a 19-point performance. She also had four steals. Teammate Hunter Simpson registered a double-double with 16 points and a game-high 13 rebounds, and she also had three steals, three assists and two blocks. Melanie Barker and Sarah McKinnon added 14 points apiece.
' The Sewanee basketball teams came up short during Sunday's trip to Alabama, suffering a sweep in a Southern Athletic Association doubleheader at Birmingham-Southern.
In the men's game, a 74-73 loss for the Tigers (10-8, 2-5), Sewanee was ahead 37-31 at halftime and led by 11 points early in the second half. The Panthers rallied late, though, taking the lead for good with 4:33 to play. Sewanee's Cody Jones came up with a steal with 12 seconds left and his team trailing by one, but two late shots didn't fall for the Tigers. Registering double-doubles for Sewanee were Keshonn Carter (23 points, 11 rebounds) and Brody Stone (18 points, 10 rebounds). Clay Born added 18 points and Jones had 10. In the women's game, a 71-51 loss for Sewanee (10-8, 2-5), Katie Wayne had 16 points, Bella Taylor added 12 and Jamie Chauvin scored 10 for the Tigers, who never led after the first quarter.