By Michael Lindsay
Upperman and Cookeville met on the softball diamond for the second time this season Monday afternoon where a 4-run first inning led the Lady Bees to a 5-2 victory in Baxter.
Monday’s non-district game was the second matchup this season between the programs, who are separated by less than 10 miles, as Cookeville defeated Upperman last Monday, 8-5.
“We love playing against coach Jordan (Webb) and Cookeville,” said Upperman head coach Dustin Williams. “We’ve kept this going for as long as we’ve both been coaching. It’s a really competitive game and a lot of the girls know each other. Jordan and his staff do a tremendous job over there. It only benefits both of our programs when we compete with each other.”
Centerfielder Addison McElhaney led Upperman as she went 2-2 with 2 runs scored and 3 stolen bases. Kira Hancock went 2-4 with 2 RBIs, a run scored, a double and a triple. Reece Kimmell went 2-4 at the plate while picking up the win in the circle as she struck out 2 and surrendered 5 hits in 7 innings pitched.
For Cookeville, shortstop Kadie Presley went 1-2 with a double and an RBI. Lady Cavs Pitcher Madison Lancaster struck out 5 while surrendering 4 hits in the final 6 innings.
The Lady Bees took control early as they posted 4 hits and 4 runs in the bottom of the first inning. McElhaney, Johnson, Hancock and Kimmell scored in the frame to put Upperman ahead 4-0 after one.
“We led off the first inning and were able to manufacture runs by moving runners and playing clean softball,” Williams said. “Any time you start off with 4 in the first, it lets everybody breathe a little easier.”
After a scoreless second inning, Cookeville got on the board in the top of the third as a grounder by Laylah Turner scored Caidence York and a Presley double drove in Martin to cut Upperman’s lead to 4-2.
Upperman tacked on an insurance run in the bottom of the fourth as a Hancock triple scored McElhaney to put the Lady Bees ahead 5-2.
Upperman locked in defensively as they held Cookeville scoreless for the final 4 innings to win by a 5-2 margin.
“This is as good as we’ve played on defense all year,” Williams said. “Izzy Veigel at shortstop played phenomenally all day. Reece Kimmel did a great job in the circle and our outfield play was good.”
The Lady Bees improve to 11-6 overall with Monday’s win. They return to District 7-3A play Tuesday as they travel to Cumberland County and Thursday as they host Stone Memorial.
“We’d like to get the ball rolling and get some momentum about us,” Williams said. “Softball is such a game of momentum.”
