Lady Mavs even record at 1-1

March 22, 2023 by Ken Lay

Playing just its second game of the season, Anderson County High School’s young softball team got a shot of confidence Monday night.

The Lady Mavericks (1-1), who played only one game during the season’s opening week due to inclement weather, notched their first victory as they invaded North Knoxville and routed Fulton 18-3 in five innings at Christenberry Elementary School.

The win came after a season-opening loss to Lakeway Christian School 18-0 in three innings on Tuesday, March 13, in Morristown. The Lady Mavs were no-hit in that game.

ACHS had no such problems against the Lady Falcons (0-1) as it scored in every inning, pounding out 18 hits off Fulton pitcher Savanah Brown.

The Lady Mavericks scored five times in each of the first two innings. They added two runs in the third and four in both the fourth and fifth innings respectively.

The Lady Falcons answered with three runs in the bottom of the opening frame as Rheagan Thomas crushed a two-run homer and Chloey Brown drove in a run with a sacrifice fly off ACHS starter Ashlynn Grimm, who was making her first career varsity start.

“I think Ashlynn was a little nervous,” Anderson County Coach Allen Russell said. “It was the first time that she started a varsity game.”

Grimm, however, left the game with the lead, giving way to reliever Kaitlyn McKamey, who surrendered two hits and struck out four in four innings of scoreless relief en route to picking up the win.

“She pitched really well,” Russell said of McKamey.

She also did some damage with her bat as she went 2-for-4 with three RBIs and a run scored for the Lady Mavericks, who got production from every hitter in their lineup.

Leadoff hitter and centerfielder Kaycee Baldwin went 3-for-4 with an inside-the-park home run, a double, a stolen base and four runs.

Reece Miller was 2-for-4 with four runs. Alli McKamey went 2-for-4 with a solo home run and two runs. She also drove in a pair. McKenna Miller had two hits, three runs and two RBIs while Makayla Simmons went 2-for-3 with three RBIs and two runs.

Fulton struggled, but Russell was pleased to see his young squad pick up a win.

“With this group, they’re so young that I’m worried about them getting down on themselves,” he said. “We hit the ball well today and our pitchers have always thrown strikes.”