Baylor, GPS scrap this afternoon in state softball

Staff Photo by Doug Strickland/Chattanooga Times Free Press - Gloves lie in a pile in the Lady Trojan Invitational softball tournament Friday, March 29, 2013, in Soddy-Daisy, Tenn.
Staff Photo by Doug Strickland/Chattanooga Times Free Press - Gloves lie in a pile in the Lady Trojan Invitational softball tournament Friday, March 29, 2013, in Soddy-Daisy, Tenn.

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - To absolutely no one's surprise, longtime Chattanooga rivals Baylor and Girls Preparatory School are in today's winners-bracket final of the Division II-AA softball state tournament.

GPS advanced with a lopsided win over Pope John Paul II on Tuesday and was off Wednesday, when Baylor moved on by beating St. Benedict at Auburndale 14-4 in five innings.

The Chattanooga teams' fourth meeting of the year is today at 12:30 EDT at the Starplex.

"Oh gosh, I have no idea how many," Baylor coach Kelli Smith responded when asked how often the Lady Red Raiders and GPS had met in a Spring Fling winners-bracket final. "We've been here a few times."

On Wednesday, the Baylor coaching staff elected to put sophomore Aaliyah Henderson on the mound. Yes, Smith sent ace Kayla Hughes to warm up, but the Lady Red Raiders (35-4) never needed her against St. Benedict (17-21).

After being touched for three unearned runs in the bottom of the first by the Memphis-area team, Henderson allowed just one run - it was earned - the rest of the way.

It was her first state tournament start.

"I was a little nervous this morning before the game but tried to look at it as just another game," Henderson said. "I got frustrated with a small strike zone, but I never worried. I know my team. They can do amazing things, and it was a good experience."

Although they didn't get that huge offensive inning they have so often put together, the Lady Raiders scored four runs in the first and put the game away with five in the fifth.

"I thought our bats were fantastic and Aaliyah pitched well. I was proud of her," Smith said. "As long as we're scoring runs every inning, we're giving ourselves a good chance to win."

The Lady Raiders punched out 15 hits and did indeed score at least once each inning.

Crosby Huckabay was a triple shy of the cycle, drove in two runs and also stole a base. Cheyenne Lindsey was 3-for-3, Henderson 2-for-3, Aby McNamara 1-for-3 with three RBIs and A.J. Johnson and Kamrie Rich each 2-for-4.

Contact Ward Gossett at wgossett@timesfreepress.com or 423-886-4765. Follow him on Twitter @wardgossett.

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