Lady Patriots Play Four Games in Tennessee

  Home runs by Madi Gregory and Jae McReynolds and a double off the bat of Daisy Wilkerson helped key the Lady Patriots come-from-behind win over Brentwood Saturday morning. After falling behind 1-0 in the first inning, AC-S pulled even in the second as Haleigh Steenburgen scored on a single from Wilkerson. Consecutive home runs by Gregory and McReynolds lifted the Lady Patriots to a 3-1 lead after the third inning. In the fifth, a Bailey Ausbrooks’ RBI single and a two-round double from Wilkerson enabled AC-S to build a 6-1 lead. Sophomore Brittany Anderson relieved starter Karley Burchett and held Brentwood scoreless in their half of the fifth. The game was called due to the time limit shortly thereafter.

   Burchett recorded the win with a strong effort in the circle. The junior threw 41 pitches in her four innings of work and allowed three hits. Of her 41 pitches, 30 were strikes.

   The Lady Patriots opened tournament play with a tie and a loss Friday. Against Walker Valley---a Class 3A Tennessee program that was state runner-up last season---AC-S rallied from behind early. Down 3-0 after a half-inning of play, Gregory opened with a single and came around to score on a McReynolds’ triple. McReynolds scored on a ground out by Ausbrooks. An inning later, AC-S knotted the game at three when Kaylee Bullington scored off an error. 

   With Burchett holding the Lady Mustangs (17-7-1) in check---four hits in the first four innings---the game’s time limit expired resulting in one inning of international tie-breaker action. Each team started their turn at bat with a runner placed at second. A two-out single gave Walker Valley the 4-3 lead. In the home half of the inning, a single by Allie Byrn plated Gregory to answer and tie the game. The game was ruled a tie.

   AC-S out hit Walker Valley 7-5 with Byrn’s three-for-three night leading the way. Byrn and Ausbrooks had doubles in the game as well.

   The Lady Patriots’ play south of the Kentucky/Tennessee border opened with a 2-1 setback verses Summit High School. Three AC-S defensive errors and the team’s lack of offense proved costly.

   In the home half of the first, Gregory reached base after a dropped third strike. McReynolds singled with the pair advancing to third and second on a ground out by Ausbrooks. With two out, Gregory stole home leading to a 1-0 lead for the Lady Patriots.

   Byrn was in the circle and managed to hold Summit (14-5) scoreless until the third. An error following a lead-off single allowed Summit to tie the game. Moments later, a second error led to a second run for the Lady Spartans. Neither squad was able to score the rest of the way with the game ending by time rule after the fourth inning.

   For the game, Byrn threw 62 pitches, 45 of which were strike. The junior allowed no earned runs, three hits, and struck out three batters. Offensively, AC-S lone hits came off the bats of McReynolds and Byrn.

   Dyersburg raced to a four-run lead after a half inning and never looked back in their 5-2 win Saturday. The Lady Trojans’ runs came as the result of back-to-back two-out singles, a triple, and a single off starter Brittany Anderson. Dyersburg’s final run was the result of a two-out single in the top of the third.

   The Lady Patriots---despite only two hits in the three-inning game---plated runners in the first and second innings. Ausbrooks drove in McReynolds in the first. In the second, two Dyersburg errors led to Taylor Gregory scoring the Lady Patriots second run of the game. The game was called by the time rule following the third inning.