The Covington baseball team took a big step Wednesday afternoon toward advancing to its seventh state title game and winning its fourth state title.
Covington broke open a close game with three runs in the top of the third and scored in all but one inning en route to a 9-2 win over Tullahoma at Blackman High School in Murfreesboro.
With that win the Chargers move on to play Tennessee today at 2 p.m. at Blackman. Tennessee has to beat Covington twice. If they don’t the Chargers will play for the Class 3A state title Friday at 1 p.m. vs. Upperman or South Gibson.
Covington got off to a quick start for the second straight game. Chris Godwin and Paxton Messer each singled in the top of the first and Brennan Forbess tripled them both home for a 2-0 CHS lead.
In the fourth inning Lane Butler and Bo Dunavant singled. Two runs scored on errors and Holden Warmath singled home another to put the Chargers ahead 6-2.
Lefty Brayden Gover took care of the rest. He struck out five and scattered six hits over seven innings to pick up the complete game win.
All nine Covington starters had at least one hit. Warmath was 3 for 4 with three RBIs, Forbess had a pair of hits and Cam Tindall, Benjamin Smith and Christopher Smith each had a hit.
In other action:
• Sulivan East scored nine runs in the first three innings Wednesday at Smyrna High School and ended Munford’s appearance in the Class 3A state tournament with a 10-0 win.
Garrett McKinney, Owen Geiger, Trey Elliot, Brodie Fortner, Tyler Smith and Luke Lavelle each had one single for Munford. McKinney started on the mound for Munford and took the loss. He struck out two and allowed four hits and five earned runs in 1.1 innings.
• Soddy Daisy scored six runs in the bottom of the first inning Wednesday and went on to a 6-0 win over Brighton to end the Lady Cards’ season in the second round of the Class 3A state tournament.
Kamryn Bridges had Brighton’s lone hit. Starting pitcher Katelyn Jones was relieved in the first inning by Molly Oswalt, who held Soddy Daisy scoreless the rest of the way while allowing just one hit and two walks.
• The Tipton-Rosemark Academy Lady Rebels lost its DII-AA state opener Wednesday to Girls Preparatory School, 9-2. TRA plays Chattanooga Christian today in Murfreesboro in an elimination game.
Ryleigh Bowers was 2 for 3 with a double and RBI and Neely Grantham singled in a run. Brooke Harrison and Myah Wright each singled. Grantham pitched 2.2 innings and allowed just three earned runs, but took the loss.
