REGION CHAMPIONS: Stone Memorial Wins Shootout Over Watertown In Region 4-3A Championship Game, 14-13

By Michael Lindsay

The Stone Memorial Lady Panthers are the champions of Region 4-3A softball after winning an offensive showcase against Watertown on Wednesday, 14-13.

The teams combined for 27 runs, 28 hits, 3 home runs and 8 doubles in seven innings. Stone Memorial senior shortstop Ashley Whittenburg went 5-5 with a triple, 2 doubles, 5 RBIs and 4 runs scored to lead the Lady Panthers. Sophomore pitcher Kenzie Jackson went 3-5 with a home run, a double and 5 RBIs at the plate while striking out 8 batters in the circle.

Center fielder Karlie Overly also went yard with a home run as part of her 2-4 outing with two runs scored and a double.

The lead changed 5 times in Wednesday’s championship. Watertown jumped out to a 5-1 lead after two innings before Stone Memorial put up a 5-spot in the bottom of the third to take a 6-5 advantage.

Watertown responded with three runs in the top of the fourth to lead 8-6 before a Jackson two-RBI double tied the game at 8-8. After a scoreless top of the fifth inning, singles by Scarlett Smithson and Jackson and a triple by Whittenburg scored four Lady Panther runs to give them a 12-8 advantage after 5 innings.

The Purple Tigers scored two in the top of the sixth to pull within two runs at 12-10, but a Whittenburg RBI single scored two runs in the bottom of the frame to extend Stone Memorial’s lead to 14-10 going to the seventh inning.

Watertown didn’t go away quietly as a two-run double with one out cut Stone Memorial’s lead to 14-12. A ground-out on the ensuing at-bat scored a run to cut Stone Memorial’s lead to 14-13 with runners at first and second.

Jackson shut the door on the rally and stranded the final two Purple Tigers with a strikeout to clinch Stone Memorial’s 14-13 victory in the Region 4-3A championship game.

Up next for Stone Memorial is the Class 3A sectional round with a state tournament berth on the line. The Lady Panthers will host Region 3-3A runner-up Soddy Daisy on Friday at 5:30 p.m.