By Maurice Patton
SUMMERTOWN – Jo Byrns pitcher Korey Harris kept the Summertown offense in check for five of its six at-bats Friday.
That one in which the Lady Eagles broke through, though, was enough for a 3-1 Class A sectional victory that sends them to next week’s state tournament in Murfreesboro.
“She was spinning it really well, and we got under it,” Summertown first baseman Hailey Jones said. “I don’t think we struggled. We put it in play. We’ve just got to hit it solid.”
After Hannah Lindsey drew a walk to lead off the third inning and Meg Parrott followed by reaching on a sacrifice bunt that the Lady Red Devils mishandled, Jones hit a Harris pitch ‘solid’.
Solid, and 200-plus feet over the center-field fence for what would turn out to be the only runs the Lady Eagles (30-2-1) would manage.
“We swung at some bad pitches,” coach Greg Burleson said his team advanced to its fifth consecutive state tourney despite making 12 flyball outs. “We were hitting the bottom half of that riseball. We didn’t make them work for outs.
“That home run was huge. We like to play with a four-run lead, but we had to make that do.”
Making do is a lot easier with Claire Woods in the circle. The Middle Tennessee State signee held Jo Byrns (23-16) to just three hits while striking out nine, and the visitors’ only run came in the sixth inning as Millie Putnam and Harris struck back-to-back one-out doubles. She responded by getting a popup and a groundout to end the threat, then retired the Lady Red Devils in order in the seventh.
“When she’s in the circle, that’s probably our best defense,” Jones said. “We’re a really solid infield, and the outfield is outstanding.
“Claire did a great job, and the defense played well.”
Caiti Beth Gallaher, Jenna Brazier and Eryca Abbott each had a pair of hits to go along with a Kaley Campbell single and the big blow by Jones – who will be playing in her third state tournament this school year.
She and Gallaher were on the Summertown volleyball team that won its second straight crown in the fall, while she, Campbell and Brazier were on the Lady Eagle basketball squad that finished second in March. Campbell was also a member of the school’s state championship golf team
“This is the best feeling in the world,” she said. “I got a ring in volleyball and a runner-up (finish) in basketball.
“Personally, I’d like to go out with that state championship.”
Summertown 3, Jo Byrns 1
JB 000 001 0 – 1 3 3
S 003 000 x – 3 8 0
Korey Harris and Kalie Morrison. Claire Woods and Caiti Beth Gallaher. W: Woods. L: Harris. HR: Summertown – Hailey Jones.
Photos by Ric Beu / SM-Tn Sports