Whitwell claims 6-A softball regular-season title [photos]

Whitwell runner Carley Terry dives back to 1st to avoid the pickoff throw to Sale Creek's Madison Stott during their prep softball game at Whitwell High School on Wednesday, April 26, 2017, in Whitwell, Tenn.
Whitwell runner Carley Terry dives back to 1st to avoid the pickoff throw to Sale Creek's Madison Stott during their prep softball game at Whitwell High School on Wednesday, April 26, 2017, in Whitwell, Tenn.

WHITWELL, Tenn. - Anna Yell looked as though she might be destined to be the losing pitcher in Wednesday's District 6-A high school softball home game against Sale Creek. That is, until Anna Yell the batter did something to change things.

Yell's three-run home run gave Whitwell a 5-4 walk-off win over the Lady Panthers, making her the winning pitcher and, more importantly, making the Lady Tigers regular-season district champions.

Whitwell (13-8, 6-0) was down by two runs but had the top of the order up in the bottom of the seventh, which started with Layla McEwen singling up the middle. Maddie Jordan hit an infield grounder, but McEwen beat the throw to second base, enabling Jordan to reach first on a fielder's choice.

Yell then came up and deposited a high drive over the fence in center field.

"Really I was just thinking 'Put the ball in play,'" Yell said. "I knew we had good speed on the bases. Right-center, left-center; I just wanted to hit it hard."

The result didn't surprise Whitwell coach Rebecca Castle.

"She's a competitive player," Castle said. "She loves the game. Just wanting to play is what she does. She's a big-game player."

Yell had given herself an early 1-0 lead on an odd sort of play. Carley Terry began the Lady Tigers' third by lining a single to right, then advanced to second on a groundout. Jordan's infield single moved her to third.

With Jordan on the move, Yell bounced the ball back to pitcher Leah Campbell. She tried unsuccessfully to get Jordan at second, yet the throw to first was in time to get Yell, but Terry scored.

Yell had a two-hitter going with the first two out in the sixth inning when things suddenly unraveled for her and the Lady Tigers. Consecutive singles and a walk loaded the bases ahead of Allison Smith's go-ahead, two-run double. Then back-to-back errors allowed two more Lady Panthers to score.

"They didn't get down," Castle said of the mood in the dugout afterward. "They did not get down. This is a team. I believe in my kids."

Raylon Smith singled with two out in the bottom of the sixth and went around to third when the ball was misplayed in the outfield. Caitlin Rollins' ensuing RBI single set the stage for the seventh.

"I knew we weren't going to give up," Yell said. "We had worked too hard just to give up like that."

Sale Creek (17-9) won its first three district games of the season before a 5-1 loss Tuesday to Lookout Valley and Wednesday's loss. The Lady Panthers played again at Whitwell afterward and beat Van Buren 16-0 to finish their district season 4-2.

Yell, who had six strikeouts, ended up allowing seven hits and three walks and also hit one batter. Right fielder Terry threw out a runner each at third and home.

"We played better today than we did yesterday at Lookout Valley," Sale Creek coach Clifford Kirk said. "Lookout Valley came out and did a good job. But that game went the same way for us as this one. We had baserunners all game long."

Smith and Carley Long each went 2-for-3 for the Lady Tigers, and McEwen went 2-for-4.

Hannah Hall was 2-for-3 for Sale Creek. Madison Stott was 2-for-4.

Contact Kelley Smiddie at ksmiddie@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6653. Follow him on Twitter @KelleySmiddie.

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