HENDERSONVILLE The Hendersonville High School softball team erupted for six runs in the first inning in Tuesday afternoon’s 7-0 victory over visiting Station Camp at Griffin-Crandell Field.
The Lady Commandos (20-8 overall, 4-1 in District 9-AAA) benefitted from the two-hit pitching of seniors Carley Carlisle and Hannah Thompson. Carlisle (13-6) tossed four innings of one-hit softball, and Thompson picked up her second save, allowing one hit over the final three innings. The right-handers combined for eight strikeouts, and Carlisle issued three base on balls.
Hendersonville High junior second baseman Ace Hanson throws to first base for a first-inning putout as junior shortstop Lexi Revis looks on.
“Carley didn’t have her best day,” Hendersonville head coach Jeff Serbin said. “She got banged up in Knoxville (at last weekend’s Gibbs Invitational Tournament). She took one (a batted ball) off the ankle.
“We tell them to let them hit the ball and let your defense make plays. Hollee (Mattei) made one great play (on a third-inning line drive into leftfield), and we made the rest of the routine plays. We want to play clean softball.”
Carlisle singled in the first two runs, followed by Mattei’s run-scoring single. After sophomore Sara Beth Biggerstaff drove in a run with an infield single, freshman Alex Beavers tripled in two runs to cap the first-inning scoring.
Station Camp High first baseman Anna Lyons dives into first base ahead of Hendersonville senior Kendyll Rockom to complete a second-inning double play.
“My biggest thing is just going in and getting my job done,” Beavers said. “At times, it’s going to be nerve-wracking. I’m focused on helping my team out.”
Beavers singled in the sixth inning and scored on junior Lexi Revis’ two-out single.
“I’ve had some bad games … I’ve had some good games,” Beavers said. “It’s focus, keeping my head on the ball and not overswinging … just trying to get a base hit.”
The Lady Bison (4-19, 1-4) scored 11 runs on eight hits in Monday’s 22-11 loss at Beech, but singles off the bats of senior Chasity Wheeley and junior Madelyne Puckett were the team’s only hits on Tuesday.
Station Camp High shortstop Kelsey Ferrari receives a first-inning throw as Hendersonville junior Kendyll Rockom slides back into second base safely.
“It’s a whole different pitching (from Monday to Tuesday’s game),” Station Camp head coach Ken Crook said. “We had some balls that we hit hard right to people. We just couldn’t get anything going.
“We just had that one bad inning, but defensively, we played a lot better tonight than last night.”
Reach Craig Harris at charris@mtcngroup.com or at 615-575-7138. Follow him on Twitter @HarrisGNESports.
Station Camp 000 000 0 – 0 2 0
Hendersonville 600 001 x – 7 12 0
Delainee Clark and Chasity Wheeley; Carley Carlisle, Hannah Thompson (5) and Matti Byrd. WP – Carlisle (15-6). LP – Clark. Save – Thompson (2). Records: Station Camp 4-19 overall, 1-4 in District 9-AAA; Hendersonville 20-8, 4-1.