Soddy-Daisy freshman Hannah Patterson was mobbed by her teammates after putting the finishing touches on the second straight softball region championship for the Lady Trojans.
Their 13th and final unanswered run scored when Patterson laced her third hit and the team's 19th of the game Wednesday night, sealing a 13-3 home victory over East Hamilton for the Region 3-3A title. The game ended after six innings due to the run rule.
"So many of our girls are showing up. It's incredible to watch," Soddy-Daisy coach Kelsey Nunley-Moore said. "We have been doing really well all the way through the lineup. We even have freshmen stepping up and making a big difference. The girls keep battling at the plate and are making adjustments between at-bats and innings."
For the second straight night, heroics were provided by senior Ryli Renfro, whose presence in her first season with the Lady Trojans (33-7) has provided a gigantic spark.
Down 3-2 in the bottom of the fifth against East Hamilton, Renfro put Soddy-Daisy on top for good as the Eagleville transfer unloaded on her 15th home run of the season, sending the ball over the left-field fence with freshman Skylar Gooden on base.
Renfro flipped the bat on her way down the first-base line and provided an emphatic fist pump as she helped her team set up a Class 3A sectional at home against White County (27-7), with the winner of Friday night's game securing a spot in next week's TSSAA Spring Fling state tournament in Murfreesboro.
"I cleared my mind at the plate and waited for my perfect pitch to hit," Renfro said. "That moment was so awesome. We didn't look back from there. To be a part of this program has been so amazing and surpassed my expectations. Last year I got runner-up at the school I was at, so I really want to help this program win one this year."
Soddy-Daisy junior first baseman Jenna Sims also had the launch code Wednesday evening. After battling through a hand injury this season, Sims came up big with her eighth and ninth home runs of the year, and she tied Renfro with a game-high four RBIs.
In the sixth, the Lady Trojans had nine hits - including a three-run shot by Sims - and scored just as many runs in the inning.
Winning pitcher Reagan Rowan overcame a rough first inning in which East Hamilton leadoff hitter Reese Knox doubled to deep right and Henley Apps and Ashlyn Watkins had RBI singles. Knox's sacrifice fly in the second gave the Lady Hurricanes a 3-0 lead.
Rowan allowed only two earned runs and struck out four batters through six innings. Freshman second baseman Abby Faires also had three hits and scored three runs in the dominant comeback victory.
"Our girls have been fighting these last two weeks," Nunley-Moore said. "We aren't giving up and we aren't getting too confident and complacent. We are all playing as a team, and it's great to see."
East Hamilton (27-12) will visit Lincoln County in the sectional round.
Meigs County 7, Marion County 6: Lainey Fitzgerald smacked a walk-off, line-drive single in the bottom of the eighth to crown the Lady Tigers as Region 2-2A champions. Marion County's Grace Slatton struck out 12 batters and did not allow an earned run, while teammates Desiree Nance and Jana Peacock each drove in three runs in the loss. Meigs County's Toryn Lawson doubled twice and drove in a pair of runs. Marion will visit Alcoa and Meigs will host South Greene in the sectional round.
Whitwell 3, Sale Creek 2: Kailee Yarber hit a tying double with no outs in the top of the seventh, and Ella Grace Harvey's sacrifice fly drove in Addison Beason for the winning run in the Region 2-1A championship game. Senior Maria Basham led the Lady Tigers (16-14) by allowing just one earned run over seven innings with five strikeouts while walking just one. Karleigh Dempsey and Beason each had two hits in the thrilling comeback win. Sale Creek will visit Jo Byrns and Whitwell will host Gordonsville in the sectional round.
Bledsoe County 1, Westmoreland 0: The Lady Warriors' 14th win in a row secured the Region 3-2A championship. Freshman Kaylynn Churches doubled and drove in the winning run in the bottom of the sixth as she and Autumn Cooley each had two hits for Bledsoe County (30-1). Sophomore pitcher Ella Baker allowed six hits and one walk and struck out five batters in a complete game. Bledsoe will host Community in the sectional round.
Jackson Christian 3-11, Boyd Buchanan 2-6: The Lady Buccaneers' sophomore trio of Izzy Messer, Gracie Petty and Brooke Watson all hit home runs in game two of the Division II-A state quarterfinal series, and Kinley Ervin was stellar in the game one defeat as the freshman pitcher allowed one earned run and struck out six batters. Boyd Buchanan finished the season 14-17.
Columbia Academy 6-3, Silverdale Baptist Academy 2-6: The Lady Seahawks (30-13) forced a deciding game three in their DII-A state quarterfinal series when a five-run first inning provided all the damage needed in the second contest of the doubleheader. Kennedy Stinson went 3-for-3 with a stolen base, and Addison Keef had two hits and scored a run in Silverdale's victory, with Katie Willoughby pitching a complete game.
BOYS' SOCCER
Arts & Sciences 4, Cascade 1: The Patriots (12-6-2) won the Region 3-A championship with a runaway road victory.
Red Bank 1, Soddy-Daisy 1 (5-4 PKs): The Lions (15-5-2) won the Region 4-AA championship in thrilling fashion as senior keeper Jake Wright saved the final penalty kick and made the winning PK of the shootout on the road.
Contact Patrick MacCoon at pmaccoon@timesfreepress.com. Follow him on Twitter @PMacCoon.