DECATUR, Tenn. — It could be in a Class AA state sectional. It could be in the state tournament. It may not happen at all.
But should District 5 and 7 regular-season champions Meigs County and Sequatchie County play again in softball this season, one will gain the edge in what’s already been a four-game series. Meigs’ Lady Tigers evened things Friday when they defeated the Lady Indians 8-2.
“If we see them again it will be for it, or at it,” Sequatchie coach Courtney Stewart said, referring to a trip to the Spring Fling in Murfreesboro. “We’re aware of that. We know they are, too.”
Meigs (28-6) hosted a tournament early in the season and beat the Lady Indians then. Sequatchie (21-9) won at home in Dunlap and in Soddy-Daisy’s Lady Trojan Invitational.
“It seems like we get behind every time we play them,” said Meigs coach Jeff Davis, whose team gave up two runs in the first inning Friday. “I thought our little pitcher hung in there pretty good.”
After giving up a walk and three hits, including Chasity Carlton’s RBI single, sophomore right-hander Jessica Swafford shut down the Lady Indians on two hits and one walk the rest of the way. With two strikeouts, she got plenty of help from her defense.
The first out in the fourth inning was Lynsey Million’s sliding catch in left field. The third was when shortstop Baylee Nunley ranged into the hole, made a back-handed stab and gunned to a stretched-out Courtney Combs at first base.
MEIGS COUNTY 8, SEQUATCHIE COUNTY 2Sequatchie 200 000 0 — 2 5 0Meigs 242 000 x — 8 10 0WP: Jessica Swafford (10-2). LP: Kelsey Keener (0-4). 2B: Chelsea Burgess, Keener (SC). Other highlights: Courtney Combs 2-4, 2 RBIs; Lindsay Arndts 2-4, 2 runs; Ashley Shaver 1B, BB, HBP, 3 RBIs, 2 runs; Brooke Melhorn 3 RBIs (MC); Chasity Carlton 1B, RBI (SC). Records: Meigs County 28-6; Sequatchie County 21-9.
“That’s probably the best we’ve played, as far as all-around defense,” Davis said. “And we’re averaging three strikeouts, so we have to make 18 plays a game.”
Meigs’ Ashley Shaver had a two-run single and an RBI walk. She also was hit by a pitch and scored twice.
Brooke Melhorn singled in two and drove in another with a groundout. Combs hit a run-scoring single and walked with the bases loaded. Leadoff batter Lindsay Arndts singled twice and scored twice.
With a little change in pitching pattern and, as Stewart said, “her calming down,” pitcher Kelsey Keener — who doesn’t pitch for the varsity often — held the Lady Tigers to one hit and no runs over their last nine outs.
“Every one of them can hit it,” said Stewart, whose team has been outscored 26-16 by Meigs in 27 innings played. “It’s been a while since I pitched, but I wouldn’t want to pitch to them, either.”