Sequatchie erupts in fifth, wins 11-0

DUNLAP, Tenn. -- Sequatchie County High School's softball team had a difficult time getting its offense going Tuesday. Once it did, Grundy County had a difficult time getting it stopped.

The host Lady Indians won 11-0 in six innings, scoring their runs in the last two.

The victory leaves Sequatchie County as the only unbeaten team in the District 7-AA standings.

"This puts a target on us," Sequatchie coach Courtney Stewart said. "But I'll take that target gladly."

Each team must play all district opponents twice. The Lady Indians (14-5, 3-0) are scheduled to visit Grundy (15-6, 3-1) on April 27.

"It's not a question that they're a good ball team," Grundy coach Shawn DiGianfelice said. "Just because we lost 11-0 to them, I don't think that means we're not a good ball team. It was one ballgame."

The Lady Yellow Jackets' Alissa Dickerson had retired 13 consecutively after Meredith Mitchell's leadoff double when Chasity Carlton dropped a single into right-center with one out in the fifth. Brooklyn Girdley followed with a single before Grundy's two errors got the Lady Indians started toward eight unearned runs in the inning.

Sequatchie's three errors were all within the first two innings, but one Lady Yellow Jacket ended up being thrown out at third in the first inning and another was forced at second on Payton Carlton's throw from right field, taking away a hit from Whitney Norris and preserving Courtney Dawson's no-hitter.

"I felt like we made a couple of mental mistakes running the bases," DiGianfelice said. "We were just not executing on offense. They made some mistakes, too. We just didn't take advantage. Then as soon as we made one mistake, it was like they threw gasoline on a fire. It started burning and we couldn't put it out."

Sequatchie's Shelby Kilgore recocked her bat on a changeup and hit it into left field for a single with one out in the sixth. The rest of the Lady Indians' nine hits, including Chelsey Tabor's walk-off, two-run homer, were all to the right side of second base and also by right-handed batters.

"She was pitching us out," Stewart said. "We've had a hard time going with pitches sometimes."

Mitchell ended up 3-for-4 with two doubles, an RBI and two runs scored. Chelsea Burgess hit a two-run double and Haley Brock hit a two-run single during the fifth-inning rally.

Dawson totaled six strikeouts with no walks.

"She did a great job," Stewart said. "He changeup was working. It was nice to see that."

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