With the postponement of Wednesday’s scheduled softball contest at Highland Tech, both the Lady Vikings varsity and junior varsity teams played a single contest each in action on the diamond last week On a sunny Thursday afternoon, the Avery softball squads tangled with a pair of talented Owen clubs.The varsity teams took the field in the first game of the afternoon and found the going tough against the Warlassies, who had shut Avery out in a contest previously this season in Swannanoa. Owen showed why they are considered one of the top teams in the Western Highlands Conference as they came away with a 22-0 victory over the Big Red in five innings.
Avery was held to only one hit and just two base runners for the game, as a single to right field by senior catcher Sara Singleton and a walk drawn by pitcher Morgan Yackey accounted for the Vikings offense.
Lady Vikings starter Yackey threw well enough in the opening innings to keep the Lady Vikings within striking distance. Owen managed three runs in the first inning and two runs in both the second and third frames to lead by a 7-0 score, but the tough pitching of the Warlassies held Avery at bay.
The Owen offense opened the proverbial floodgates in the top of the fourth inning with 11 runs due to a combination of strong hitting and untimely errors in the field. Only ten of Owen’s total of 22 runs for the game was earned, and the Warlassies took advantage of virtually every opportunity afforded to them with a lineup that strongly rapped the softball to all fields.
“Today was difficult day for us. We did not play well and Owen is a very good team. That combination made it very tough for us to compete,” Avery head softball coach Merritt Yackey said after the loss. “It is one of those games we simply need to put behind us and prepare for our three games next week in which we should be very competitive. Two are conference games against Mitchell and Hendersonville, and one against Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy who will be in the conference next year.”
The Lady Vikings junior varsity team took to the diamond in the second half of Thursday’s doubleheader action with Owen and played with confidence and execution against a good Owen JV team. Although the Lady Vikings fell by a 14-3 final score, the team showed the ability offensively to get on base and manufacture runs, as well as play an exciting style of softball.
Owen scored nine first-inning runs on Avery, but could only muster one run over the next five frames as the Lady Vikings played well defensively. Starting pitcher Becca Biggerstaff settled into a groove, as the right-hander finished the complete-game effort with only five earned runs allowed and struck out eight batters.Avery scored a pair of runs in the bottom of the third inning to cut the deficit to seven runs. Biggerstaff laced a double in the frame and teammates Shelby McKinney, Gibson Slomkoski, and Charley Puckett each ripped the ball for base hits to provide offensive punch to the Big Red attack.
Although a four-run seventh inning wound up sealing the win for the Warlassies, the Lady Vikings JVs proved they should be formidable opponent for the remaining opponents they face this season.
“I thought our junior varsity girls competed very well after the first inning in which we gave up the nine runs. Shelby McKinney, Gibson Slomkoski and Charley Puckett each had RBIs with timely base hits and Shelby scored twice,” Coach Yackey stated after the game. “Becca Biggerstaff had two hits, scored a run, and did a good job pitching, only allowing five earned runs. Gibson Slomkoski had another good defensive game at second base recording four assists and a putout.”
Avery is scheduled to take on Thomas Jefferson Classical Academy early in the week, with home games against Mitchell on Wednesday and Hendersonville on Friday afternoon.
