Soddy-Daisy pitcher Hayley Everett throws the ball to Ooltewah’s batter, Taylor Hicks during the Ooltewah vs. Soddy-Daisy softball game at Soddy-Daisy High School in Soddy-Daisy, Tenn.
Staff photo by Jenna Walker/Chattanooga Times Free PressSoddy-Daisy didn’t jump on Ooltewah early and often as it did when the teams met for the first time last season, but Wednesday early was good enough.
A three-run first inning sparked the Lady Trojans to a 5-0 victory over the Lady Owls in a District 5-AAA high school softball game originally scheduled at Ooltewah at 5 p.m. Soddy-Daisy was able to get its new field ready and the teams played there at 7.
Soddy-Daisy’s Millie Putnam got things started with a one-out single, which turned out to be the only hit in the first-inning rally. After back-to-back walks to Alex Everett and Kali Henderson, Mariam Wood’s sacrifice fly brought in the first run and a second run scored on a throwing error on the play. A throwing error on on Morgan Bailey’s grounder alllowed the other run to score.
Ooltewah coach Norma Nelson said when she addressed her players afterward she reminded them their effort was better than in the 15-0 whipping they took in five innings this time last year.
“We didn’t play that bad,” Nelson said. “Without that first inning, it could’ve been a different ballgame. I don’t think the girls got down on themselves. We stayed up. It’s just that something like that takes a little bit out of you.”