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Freshmen lead Smoky Mountain to win over Brevard in softball season-opener
Smoky Mountain’s youth movement paid immediate dividends as freshmen led the way to a 6-2 softball victory at Brevard in Friday’s season-opener.
Pitcher Megan Taylor made her high school debut with a four-hitter while striking out 11 and walking just one. At one point she struck out seven in a row. Taylor also made her presence felt at the plate with a home run.
Smoky Mountain freshman Megan Taylor made her high school debut by pitching a four-hitter Friday in a 6-2 win at Brevard. Taylor struck out 11 and walked one. – Herald photo by Carey Phillips
Classmate Cassie Randall blasted a grand slam homer and a triple in four at-bats.
Fellow freshman Brittany Gilbert had two bunt singles and scored twice in four at-bats while making some outstanding defensive plays at second base.
Yet another freshman, Jessica Cabe, turned in a solid defensive performance behind the plate, walked twice and drove in a run with a safety squeeze.
“It was a great start,” Coach Mark Taylor said. “It was a great win for the team and the program. We struck out too many times, but we had six walks. I can’t remember when we had that many walks in a game.”
The Lady Mustangs scored in the second when Megan Taylor ripped a homer to left field.
They made it 2-0 in the third when Gilbert used her speed to beat out a bunt single, stole second, advanced to third on a wild pitch and scored when Cabe laid down a bunt.
The Lady Devils tied it in the fourth when they strung together three of their four hits and were aided by an error.
SM answered with four runs in the fifth to reclaim the lead at 6-2. Natalie Woodard and Cabe walked around Gilbert’s bunt single loading the bases with no outs. Randall ripped a pitch to left-center and circled the bases for a grand slam.
“One swing of the bat by Cassie was the ballgame,” Coach Taylor said. “Brittany used her speed to get some things going.”
He noted Megan Taylor showed control on the mound with just one walk while utilizing power with 11 strikeouts.
Cabe was cited for her two walks and sacrifice as those plays helped lead to a pair of runs.
The Lady Mustangs had been scheduled to play Asheville at home Friday, but that game was postponed due to the Lady Cougars’ participation in the state basketball playoffs.
A game with Swain on March 2 was postponed, and neither of those contests had been reset at Herald press time.
A home game with Cherokee on March 9 has been moved to March 16.
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