MURFREESBORO, Tenn. - The grit that got Red Bank's softball team to the Spring Fling was again on full display Thursday.
The Lady Lions held off Greenbrier 5-4 for their second win in as many days before succumbing to Gibbs 5-1, eliminating them from the Class AA state tournament.
"We have preached all season about never quitting, and the kids totally bought into that mentality," Red Bank coach Mandi Munn said. "Just to get here we had to overcome a lot of obstacles, then to win a couple of games and battle to the end, you have to be proud.
"I think the way we played spoke volumes about the character of these kids."
At one point in the postseason, Red Bank had only nine players available for its games due to two being quarantined and another starter being lost to injury. Despite that, the Lady Lions advanced to state for the first time since 2005.
Gibbs, which had eliminated Sequatchie County earlier in the day, got one run in the second then pulled away with two each in the third and sixth innings against Red Bank. Abbie Buckner scattered four hits for the win.
In Red Bank's win over Greenbrier, senior Bailee Phillips went 2-for-4 with two RBIs and two runs to lead the Lady Lions. Lexie Wright and Hailey Hanks each went 2-for-4, with Hanks driving in two runs, and Cassia Mitchell was 3-for-3 with a run scored.
Gibbs 5, Sequatchie County 0: The Lady Eagles jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning, and Buckner made it stand, scattering seven hits and striking out four. Emma Keck and Gracie Palmer each had RBI hits for Gibbs, and Ella Edgmon and Gracie Turner both were 2-for-3 for Sequatchie County.
North Greene 7, Sale Creek 4: The Lady Panthers carried a 4-0 lead into the fourth inning, but that's when North Greene rallied for four, then took the lead with three more in the fifth to eliminate Sale Creek in Class A.
The Lady Huskies collected four straight hits before an out was recorded in the fourth, eventually tying the game. After taking a one-run lead in the fifth, a Lady Panthers error opened the door for two more runs to score.
Allison Smith went 4-for-4 with two runs scored for Sale Creek and Alyssa Raines drove in three runs.
Tipton-Rosemark 7, Silverdale Baptist 0: Ansley Junkins had three of her team's six hits as the Lady Seahawks were eliminated in Division II-A. A five-run fourth inning put the game away.
BASEBALL
Moore County 15, South Pittsburg 5: After winning two games on Wednesday in the Class A loser's bracket, the Pirates were eliminated as the Raiders struck for five runs in each of the first two innings. Reece Genter went 2-for-3 at the plate with two RBIs and Hunter Powers also drove in a pair of runs for the Pirates.
TRACK & FIELD
Walker Valley senior Skyy Craig ended his prep athletic career on a high note in the Division I Large Class state meet at Rockvale High School.
Craig's time of 37.99 seconds in the 300-meter hurdles was the state's fastest in the event all season and secured a state title. Craig medaled in four events at state, with his 300 hurdles championship joined by good finishes in the 110 hurdles (fourth), decathlon (third) and triple jump (seventh).
Cleveland's girls' 4x100 relay team of Janisa Ryan, Janay Ryan, Tinia James and Kategie Casseus also won a state title with a time of 47.82. Casseus and Ryan finished second and third, respectively, in the 200.
Bradley Central's Javon Burke finished third in both the 100 and 200, and third-place finishes were earned by Cleveland's Ryan Lovelace in the 1600 and Soddy-Daisy's Tyler Nunley in the 800.
Contact Stephen Hargis at shargis@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6293. Follow him on Twitter @StephenHargis.