Gary Corsair • Clay County Progress Hayesville hurler Addie Bunch hustles toward first base for a putout after she and Macie Parker converged on a grounder.
By Gary Corsair
Sports Writer
Sophomore Raylyn Taylor admits that she was nervous when she stepped to the plate with the softball game on the line against visiting Andrews Tuesday.
A hit would win the game; an out would send the deadlocked contest into a second extra-inning.
Andrews’ pitcher was probably more nervous considering that Taylor had already rapped 2 hits and driven in 2 runs.
Taylor won the final battle of nerves by smacking a two-out line drive double to bring home Bryleigh Krieger home with the deciding run in a 7-6, extra-inning Smoky Mountain Conference (SMC) thriller.
Taylor’s eighth-inning heroics gave her a 3-of-5, 3 RBI stat line, and secured victory for gutsy pitcher Addie Bunch, who bravely set the Wildcats down in order in the top of the final frame after she hurt her face sliding into third base in the seventh.
“I really couldn’t expect more out of a pitcher,” Hayesville Coach Marissa Peck remarked. “I told her if I had a perseverance award she would absolutely get it. She stuck in there . . . I couldn’t have asked for more.”
Hayesville’s superb defense produced all of Andrews’ eighth-inning outs. Third baseman Gracelynn Anderson made two slick picks charging grounders to her left, first baseman Macie Parker dug out a low throw with a great backhand, and shortstop Lila Roberts executed a picture-perfect 6-to-3 for the third out.
The Lady Yellow Jackets (1-0 in the SMC, 1-1 overall) displayed considerable character in obtaining their first win.
Hayesville cracked 13 hits as Roberts, Bunch, Anderson and Krieger each had 2 hits, batted .351 as a team, and played error-less defense.
Afterwards, Coach Peck presented Roberts with a gold glove award (for making 4 putouts and an assist in her 5 chances) and a golden shoe award to Anderson (she had Hayesville’s only stolen base).
The win was especially sweet because of the way Hayesville won. The Lady Yellow Jackets led 5-1 after four innings but ended up fighting for their lives after Andrews rallied with a 3-run homer in the fifth and a pair of Wildcat runs in the seventh tied the score 6-6.
“This team had fight and kept the fight and I really feel like they kept pushing,” Coach Peck stated. “They never quit.”
The comeback victory may well mark the beginning of a softball resurgence in Hayesville after the Lady Yellow Jackets finished 4-11 last year and 2-12 in 2020-’21.
“We want to change the culture a little bit and create a little more excitement in the program,” Coach Peck said.
Peck expects a nucleus of experienced players to spark the turnaround.
“I’m excited this year,” Peck said. “We have four seniors, and we have some experience. I feel like that experience will take us far.”
Seniors Bunch, Roberts, Parker and Faith Odell are proven performers.
Odell, one of the best catchers in the Smoky Mountain Conference, batted .314 last year. Roberts, who moved from outfield to shortstop, hit .288. Bunch had a batting average of .277. And first baseman/outfielder Parker played in 14 games a year ago.
Talented seniors are only part of the story. Hayesville’s two juniors, two sophomores, and three freshmen are all ready to contribute.
Last year’s leading slugger was Anderson, who batted .412 and led the team in doubles (6), triples (2), and homeruns (2), and will again anchor the batting order. She batted cleanup against Andrews.
“My goals this season are simple: we want to be competitive in every ballgame we play,” Coach Peck stated. “I feel like good effort and good attitudes will take us a long way.”
Good effort and good attitudes were evident in Hayesville’s season opener at Pisgah, but the Lady Yellow Jackets stranded too many runners in a 9-1 loss to the 3A school.
“We didn’t have a lot of offense, obviously. We only scored one run,” Coach Peck said. “But we were competitive, so I was happy with it.”
Hayesville will need another great effort when it travels to Andrews for a rematch this Thursday (the game was originally scheduled for Friday). Ditto for next Tuesday at Swain.