Beating Halls

Lady Dragons hand Lady Devils first league loss

April 26, 2023 by Ken Lay

The third time was the charm for Clinton High School’s softball team early last week.

The Lady Dragons notched their biggest win in recent history when they edged Knoxville Halls 1-0 on Tuesday, April 18, in eight innings on the road.

The Lady Devils hadn’t lost a district game since joining the league two seasons ago. Halls topped Clinton 5-2 in a district tilt in late-March. Halls also outlasted the Lady Dragons 4-3 in the Easton Invitational in Kingsport on Sunday, April 2.

But streaks are made to be broken, and Clinton persevered for a hard-fought victory. Now, the Lady Dragons are tied with the Lady Devils heading into the final week of league play.

Clinton hosted Anderson County Tuesday, and the Lady Devils faced Scott in their respective league finales. Results were not available at press time.

For seven innings, the Lady Dragons’ Taylor Sherwood and Halls High’s Atiana Stamper were embroiled in a classic pitchers’ duel.

Stamper finished the game with 11 strikeouts and Sherwood got out of several jams as the Lady Devils stranded two runners in the first, left one on second base the following inning, and stranded another runner in the third.

Halls had the bases loaded in the fourth with nobody out before Sherwood averted damage. Halls got the potential winning run on third in the seventh.

The Lady Dragons took the lead in the eighth. Marissa Eccles reached on a bunt single with one down. She promptly stole second and swiped third, then she came home when she slid under a tag when Bree McKamey reached base.

Sherwood retired the Lady Devils in order in the seventh, giving the Lady Dragons a share of first place in the district standings.

Clinton Assistant Coach Annabelle Jackson was elated after the game.

“This was huge for us,” said Jackson, who coached the team in head Coach Leonard Sams’ absence (bereavement leave).

“Taylor Sherwood pitched a great game and we played great defense,” Jackson said.

“When we play defense like that, we can beat anybody.”