Wallington No-Hitter Leads Baylor Sweep

Lady Red Raiders Advance With 15-0, 13-0 Romps Over Harpeth Hall

It's been a roller coaster season for the Baylor softball team as they finished as the number three team in the East region after losing twice to Chattanooga Christian and GPS.

They seem to be playing well at the most important time and that all began with a double-header sweep of the Harpeth Hall Honey Bears at Baylor Friday afternoon in Baylor's final home game of the season.

Friday's games were never close as the Honey Bears came to town admitting they weren't very good with a 3-15 record before play on Friday.  It didn't take the Lady Red Raiders long to advance as they won the first game 15-0 in three innings before taking four innings to win the second one, 13-0.  It was more like a glorified batting practice than a real game as Harpeth Hall never offered the first challenge.

Now the road gets a little tougher as Baylor will head to Nashville next Friday where they take on the number one team from the Middle region, CPA.

CCS and GPS both earned byes this week with CCS hosting the winner of Lipscomb Academy and Pope John Paul II on Friday while GPS awaits the winner of Brentwood Academy and Ensworth, also scheduled to play on Friday.  Winners of those best of three series will advance to Murfreesboro the following week for the Spring Fling state championships.

Baylor is now 21-9-2 following the two lopsided wins on Friday while Harpeth Hall finishes their season at 3-16.

Adison Wellington was outstanding in the pitching circle for Baylor as she tossed a no-hitter in the first game while only allowing two first-inning hits in the second.

Baylor coach Kelli Smith knows it's been a challenging season, but she's also optimistic that her team is capable of being the spoiler in Murfreesboro as they attempt to get back on the winning side after not winning the title last year after winning the previous nine.

"I'm just excited that we get to move on.  It will be a much bigger challenge next Friday at CPA, but we're one step closer to Murfreesboro and I feel good as we're playing our best softball right now when it counts the most," she began after a brief chat with her girls following their latest wins.

"These games today went about the way I expected, but all of my girls got to contribute and Adison Wellington got some good work.  This is the first time all season we've been healthy and not sick or hurt.  But we came out and hit the ball hard and I like the direction we're headed," she added.

The Lady Red Raiders only had 10 hits in that three-inning opener, but they took advantage of six Honey Bear errors.  Then in the second game, Baylor only had seven hits for the game, but were able to benefit from 13 walks issued by Harpeth Hall's Mira Brockman.

Leadoff hitter Emma Hartline reached on a bunt single and advanced to third on an error to start the Baylor first and later scored on a wild pitch, but the second inning was totally different as Baylor's bats collected eight hits when they sent 16 hitters to the plate and scored 11 runs.

Chloe Cunningham had a two-run double just ahead of a two-run triple by Spencer Higgins.  Hartline also drove in two with two more hits while Amiya Leach and Wrigley Burge also had run-producing singles.

Pinch hitter Abby Wright drove in the 14th run in the third with a double while Leila Jefferson scored the game-winner on the second error of the inning.

Baylor scored early and often in the second game with four runs in the first inning before adding three in both the second and third frames before adding four more in the fourth.

Wallington had the big blow in the first with a two-run double and finished with four RBIs for the game.  Baylor only had one hit in the second, but it was run-scoring single by Rylee Jasper.  Hartline also drove in one with a groundout while Wallington drove in another with a sacrifice fly.

Xahara Willis drove in a run in the third with a single while Jefferson, Wright and Addison Reeves also had RBIs with bases-loaded walks in the fourth.

Hannah Frohsin and Katelyn Rojas both singled with one out in the first for the Honey Bears, but were left stranded as the next two hitters were retired.  Rojas had a leadoff walk in the fourth for Harpeth Hall's only other base runner for the game.

Harper Reeves, who entered the game as a pinch hitter in the third, was the only Baylor player with two hits in the second game.

GAME ONE SUMMARY

HARPETH HALL  000 – 0 0 6

BAYLOR 1(11)3 – 15 10 1

Rojas and Conyers; Wallington and Willis.

GAME TWO SUMMARY

BAYLOR  433 3 – 13  7  0

HARPETH HALL 000 0 – 0 2 1

Wallington and Willis, DeMatteo (4); Brockman and Conyers.

(Email John Hunt at nomarathonmoose@gmail.com)
Wallington No-Hitter Leads Baylor Sweep - Chattanoogan.com

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