HENDERSONVILLE A counterintuitive approach served Hendersonville High senior Carley Carlisle well on Monday evening.
Hendersonville High junior third baseman M.J. Mattei receives a throw as Henry County sophomore Gracie Osbron slides into third base during the first inning of the Lady Commandos’ 5-2 victory on Monday evening.
Pitching through steady rain, the Lady Commando senior hurler held District 10-AAA runner-up Henry County to four hits as Hendersonville captured a 5-2 victory over the visiting Lady Patriots in the Region 5-AAA Tournament semifinals at Griffin-Crandell Field.
The three previous losses for Henry County (42-4) this season came against Clarksville.
“Honestly, I hate the rain, but I love that we came out of it with a win like that,” Carlisle said. “I just really went out there and did my thing and threw my pitches like I knew that I could throw them.”
Carlisle struck out 10 Henry County hitters, doing so by staying more out of the strike zone than in it.
Hendersonville High senior Carley Carlisle struck out 10 Henry County hitters in Monday evening’s 5-2 victory.
“The one thing we heard the last couple of days was, ‘don’t throw a lot of strikes,’” Hendersonville head coach Jeff Serbin said. “That fits Carley perfect. She’ll go to a lot of 3-2 counts and bust you in on the hands or throw a little rise ball. There wasn’t a lot of good pitches (Henry County) could hit.”
Hendersonville (36-12-1) sent 10 hitters to the plate in the bottom of the third inning, scoring four runs and leaving the bases loaded. After Carlisle’s double and a fielder’s choice from junior Matti Byrd, senior Kendyll Rockom reached on an error to score sophomore courtesy runner Amaya Marshall before junior Alex Beavers’ bloop single into centerfield allowed classmate Annsley Kalamon to score.
The game was delayed 19 minutes in the top of the fourth inning due to rain.
Hendersonville High junior Matti Byrd doubled and drove in a run during the third inning of Monday evening’s 5-2 victory over Henry County.
Junior Lexi Revis provided an insurance run with a fifth-inning single to drive in Rockom.
Regardless of Wednesday’s outcome against in the Region 5-AAA final at Clarksville (a 12-4 winner over Wilson Central on Monday), Hendersonville’s seniors plan to graduate on their own field prior to one of eight Class AAA sectional contests on Friday, the Lady Commandos’ first sectional game since 2000.
“It’s going to be very special, because we’ve talked about wanting to graduate on the field,” Carlisle said. “I’ve spent four years of my life on this softball field, and I can’t think of anywhere else I’d want to graduate at.”
Hendersonville High senior Hannah Atkinson (left) congratulates classmate Carley Carlisle following the Lady Commandos’ 5-2 victory over Henry County on Monday evening.
Reach Chris Brooks at cbrooks@tennessean.com or at 615-575-7118. Follow him on Twitter @CB_SumnerSports.
Henry County 101 000 0 – 2 4 4
Hendersonville 004 010 x – 5 6 2
Celie Hudson and Caroline Hudson; Carley Carlisle and Matti Byrd WP – Carlisle (25-7). LP – Celie Hudson. Records: Henry County 42-4, Hendersonville 36-12-1.