Baylor senior softball standout Avery Shamblin loves pitching at what she could consider the friendly confines of GPS the past few seasons.
The Memphis signee had her "A" game again while facing the host Bruisers on Wednesday, striking out 11 batters without allowing an earned run in a complete game as the Lady Red Raiders beat GPS 3-1 for a TSSAA Division II-AA District 2 road win.
Shamblin recorded her 10th strikeout by spotting a fastball on the outside corner on a full count in the sixth inning, and for No. 11 she blew past a hitter who came to the plate as the potential tying run in the seventh.
"These two teams have been traditional powerhouses in softball for a long time, and I embrace every opportunity my team has to try and beat GPS. I like to beat them — real bad," said Shamblin, who last year spun a four-inning no-hitter with 10 strikeouts at GPS.
"Some people may have expected us to come out here and blow them out of the water, but they have a lot more talent this year, and this game always has a lot of emotions involved in it. Thankfully we have been able to put them away for a few years now. Our girls kept their composure today in a tight battle, and I am really proud of them."
Baylor (12-4-1, 4-0), the eight-time reigning state champion in DII-AA, was sparked at the start of the game by left-handed leadoff hitter Addi Yates' double over the left fielder's head.
Yates would score the first run of the game with an impressive slide into the plate, using a swim move to get under the tag after being driven in by fellow senior Holly Merritt's single through the right side of the infield.
"If Addi goes in there with a normal slide, she is out," Baylor coach Kelli Smith said. "That was a beautiful slide. That's Addi for you. She is a gamer. She is an all-world outfielder for us and has been our catalyst at the top of the order. She got things going for us today, and we have so much trust in her."
GPS (8-8, 5-2) fought back with two outs in the third as eighth-grade standout and leadoff hitter Jayla Gladden singled on a line drive to left field. Senior Emma Leinberger then legged out an infield single to third base, which afterward drew a throwing error into left field as Baylor tried to catch the retreating Gladden at second base.
Gladden raced home well ahead of the throw to score the tying run.
The Red Raiders responded in the top of the fourth as freshman Chloe Cunningham legged out an infield single and took second on a throwing error. Freshman Rylee Jasper then delivered the go-ahead single on a line drive that shot off the outstretched third baseman's glove into the shallow outfield grass for a 2-1 lead.
Baylor added a second run in the fourth when junior Sydney Sharpe hit an opposite-field double to left-center that was followed by Yates' groundout that brought in a run to make it 3-1.
GPS eighth grader Addi Smith would give her team a chance with 3 2/3 innings of scoreless relief, but Shamblin was too much for the Bruisers' bats to overcome.
Back in the circle on game day for the first time in 11 days — her most recent outing had come in a 1-0 loss to Silverdale Baptist Academy at the Gibbs tournament — Shamblin allowed four singles and a walk, throwing 75 strikes in a 109-pitch outing.
"I am really proud of Avery. She threw lights out today and had everything working," Smith said. "She and Coach (Crosby) Huckabay did a great job setting up hitters. It's great when your pitcher is really on when your offense is a little off.
"Avery is very consisent in her approach and preparation and is a star in the circle for us."
Contact Patrick MacCoon at pmaccoon@timesfreepress.com.
Baylor wins softball game at rival GPS as Avery Shamblin shines | Chattanooga Times Free Press
