Tellico Plains needed to make something happen in the bottom of the seventh inning Friday.
The Lady Bears trailed rival Sweetwater by two runs in a District 3-2A contest before freshman Addison Joines completed the comeback.
With the top of the lineup up, Tellico made the noise. After being held steady by Sweetwater’s defense for six frames, the hosts combined for five hits in the seventh inning, with the crowing being Joines’ walkoff single for a 6-5 win that keeps Tellico in the hunt for the second seed of the league.
“I am pleased. We just played a little bit sloppy in the first part — not really sloppy, but we just had some bad breaks. When they had to, they came through — they did the same against McMinn County,” Tellico Plains coach Don Swanson said. “They played well. Young kids that do a good job.”
The Lady Bears beat McMinn County 7-4 one day prior after losing by 11 runs on April 22.
The Lady Bears’ rally started with a single from Dana Harmon, who was moved up in the lineup off of availability issues. Two batters later, Kadence Moses brought Harmon home to cut Sweetwater’s lead to 5-4.
Keener then singled to get the tying run in scoring position. Jagger Ziglar kept the bats flowing with a first-pitch single into center field, scoring Moses and tying the contest.
With two outs, the freshman Joines — who has had a hot bat through April — pushed Keener home to end the contest.
“I think sometimes when you are young like that you put too much pressure on yourself at the plate. I told them ‘Just relax. It is just me and you in the cage,’” Swanson said. “Dana just stepped into that (leadoff) spot and did a great job. She was the one who started that at the end. Everyone else just stepped in line.”
Ahead of the seventh inning, Tellico combined for just four hits through six innings. Two of those being momentous swings — one-run home runs for Keener and Joines.
Sweetwater’s defense went through the first six batters with consecutive outs. Ella Morgan fell behind 3-0 in the count to Bella Wright before winning the duel on a full-count pop-up.
With two on and one out in the third inning, Sweetwater escaped the jam through a sacrifice bunt and pop-up to Danielle Jones. After allowing her second home run of the night, Morgan picked up consecutive strikeouts on Ziglar and Kalli Yates-Matoy.
The Lady Wildcats (5-16; 2-8) switched arms from senior Morgan to freshman Lilly Woodruff midway through the top of the fifth.
With two on, Woodruff picked up a strikeout and forced Moses into a fielder’s choice to end the hole.
“They were starting to really get onto her, so I made a decision. They were on us either way, it did not matter who I put out there,” Sweetwater coach Sarah Davies said. “They are a really good hitting team and we were able to keep them unbalanced through the first part, but they dialed in.”
Morgan struck out three batters through four innings followed by two strikeouts from Woodruff.
After two hitless innings, Joines sent a towering home run out of left field, cutting Sweetwater’s lead to 2-1.
One inning later, Keener found a leadoff, line-drive home run to left field, tying the contest at 2-2.
“It was good to see. I feel like they are going to be really good hitters. Meya has been hitting the ball, but she has not been getting any loft on it,” Swanson said. “The last few games she has been getting in the groove a little bit.”
Sweetwater’s run started early. Woodruff doubled in the top of the first to go ahead 1-0. Two innings later, Madisyn Vestal reached on an error that scored Woodruff.
Tellico’s defense escaped the inning with two Lady Wildcats left on base.
With the endorsement of assistant coach Addie Lowe, Senior Kylee Kamps came through with a triple as her first hit of the season in the fifth inning, scoring Vestal and moving Sweetwater ahead 4-2.
“Without hesitation, she said Kylee Kamps. She was 100% right,” Davies said. “The girl stepped up and was not 100% nervous. She got that triple in a clutch moment and did awesome.”
One inning later, Tori Thompson singled on a line drive to score Sewell — Sweetwater led by three, the largest lead of the day.
“We are staying positive — Tellico is a good team. For us to take it down to the bottom of the seventh shows a lot about our resolve and determination to keep competing,” Davies said.
In the circle for Tellico Plains (12-6; 6-3), Moses struck out five batters through 4.2 innings of relief. Meredith Linder started the night, going 2.1 innings with one strikeout and two walks.
“I just feel like Meredith was not getting comfortable. She was thrown into the starting role as a No. 2,” Swanson said. “I felt like she was a little uncomfortable at the time and Kadence said she was good, so I decided to go with Kadence.
“The defense did a good job. Bella Wright made some really good catches at second base and saved us a couple times.”
Sweetwater held off the Tellico offense for nearly five innings on April 10 before doing the same for six innings on Friday.
“It shows what a good hitting team Tellico is. They were able to string them together,” Davies said.
Joines’ winner came off the glove of Vestal at third base.
“I say it is a game of inches and a quarter-inch lower we are walking off with a victory. We did not have that many errors, we hit the ball well, we pitched well…,” Davies said. “The top two go to region and, even though we are second to last in the regular season, we have the momentum. I told the girls do not make plans for Friday because we are playing.”
While dates and times are not official, Sweetwater will travel to No. 4 McMinn Central for the District 3-2A play-in game. No. 1 Meigs County has already cemented a spot in the four-team, double-elimination bracket.
Tellico Plains and Kingston are up for the No. 2 spot. The recipient will bye into the double elimination bracket while the eventual No. 3 seed will host Polk County in the play-in round.
Kingston holds one win over Tellico Plains as of April 29.
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