Lady Mavs play their best against some of the best
Lady Mav Kailyn McKamey makes the stretch on a throw to first against Halls last week. (photo:Ricky Williams )
“Anytime you play in the Gibbs tournament, you always play some good teams,” Russell said. “We played some of our best softball of the year this weekend. We just played against some good teams and we got beat.”
The Lady Mavericks opened tournament play with a 4-2 victory over Hardin Valley at Caswell Park in Knoxville.
The Lady Hawks are a top team in District 4-4A, a league that features two-time defending state champion Farragut.
“That was a big win against Hardin Valley and the kids played really well,” Russell said.
The Lady Mavericks (8-10-1 overall) scored in three of the four innings of the game, which was called due to the tournament time limit. ACHS took a 1-0 lead in the first before the Lady Hawks scored two in the bottom of the frame.
Anderson County, which had six singles in the contest, scored twice in the second to take a 3-1 lead. The Lady Mavericks added an insurance run in the third.
Reece Miller, Alli McKamey and Ashlynn Grisham each drove in runs and had hits against the Lady Hawks. Kaycee Baldwin also drove in a run for the Lady Mavericks.
In the circle, Kailyn McKamey pitched a four-inning complete game. She allowed two runs, five hits and two walks.
Anderson County then lost three consecutive games despite having leads against Cookeville and defending Class AA state shampion Alcoa, which is coached by former Lady Vol and All-America standout Sarah Bailey.
Against Grainger Friday, the Lady Mavericks dropped a 3-0 decision to the Lady Grizzlies.
ACHS mustered just two hits in the game. McKenna Miller doubled in the game, while Kailyn McKamey had a single.
“They’re good,” Russell said of the Lady Grizzlies.
The Lady Mavericks returned to the diamond Saturday morning and lost to Cookeville 4-2, despite having a 2-0 lead heading into the fifth (and final) inning.
“We had 30 seconds left and they started another inning and they scored four runs,” Russell said.
The Lady Cavaliers held ACHS scoreless in the bottom of the frame to win.
Makayla Simmons and Alexis Siebers each collected two hits against Cookeville. Simmons also scored a run and Siebers doubled. Ashlynn Grisham doubled and drove in a run.
In their final game of the weekend, the Lady Mavericks lost to the defending state champion Lady Tornadoes, 4-3.
Simmons had two hits and drove in a run. McKamey went 2-for-2 with an RBI, a run and a double. McKenna Miller went 1-for-2 and scored a run for the Lady Mavericks, who had 3-2 lead before Alcoa scored twice in the third.
“We had leads against Alcoa and Cookeville and we actually played really well,” Russell said. “The kids weren’t happy, but it wasn’t like we made a bunch of errors and striking out.
“We played good defense and we hit the ball hard, but we hit it right at them.”