Gary Corsair • Clay County Progress Hayesville’s Raylyn Taylor spears a throw from catcher Lila Roberts on a stolen base attempt by Murphy.
By Gary Corsair
Sports Writer
Hayesville’s never-say-die girls softball team threw a scare into first-round playoff opponent Bethany Community before being bumped from the tournament, 12-5, Tuesday.
The Lady Yellow Jackets, seeded No. 25, led 2-0 in the first inning, fell behind 5-2, then tied the game at 5-all in the first before No. 8 seed Bethany Community iced the game with a big sixth inning.
“I was super excited to see how we would compete,” Coach Marissa Peck said. “Our girls came off the bus with great attitude and effort.”
The Lady Yellow Jackets banged out nine hits and only struck out four times.
The offense was led by third baseman Gracelynn Anderson, who responded to batting clean-up by ripping four hits — two for extra bases — in as many at bats, driving in 2 runs and scoring another.
Leadoff batter Lila Roberts had two hits and a run, as did Raylyn Taylor, hitting in the No. 2 slot. Faith Odell contributed a hit and 2 runs.
Hot hitting was only part of the story.
“We had a great effort from the field with timely catches in left field by Macie Wagner and several by Raylyn Taylor at second,” Peck stated.
The defensive gems were certainly appreciated by senior pitcher Addie Bunch, who went the distance. “Addie pitched really well with the composure of a true senior,” Peck said.
Hayesville drew first blood in the first frame with back-to-back triples by Odell and Anderson, who stole home to put the Lady Jackets up, 2-0.
Odell was also in the thick of things when Hayesville rallied to tie the score at 5-5. Odell scored the tying run on Anderson’s double after walking and stealing second. Roberts, who doubled, and Taylor, who singled and stole two bases, came home before Odell.
“We were right there until the mid-fifth,” Peck said. “It was a bittersweet moment for the seniors, but we gave them a game and came to compete.”
Hayesville finished the season with a 2-12 record and a bright future despite the graduation of talented competitors Bunch, Morgan Crawford, Odell, Roberts and Wagner.
Murphy 15, Hayesville 0
Freshman Daylyn Murray is a big reason Hayesville’s first-year softball Coach Peck remains optimistic after a 2-11 regular-season.
Murray made an incredible running catch as she collided with the center field fence in the bottom of the first inning of Hayesville’s make-up game Friday at Murphy.
Murray’s Big League catch was one of the few bright spots for Hayesville, 2-11 overall, 2-0 Smoky Mountain Conference, which managed just one hit — a first-inning single by Bunch — in a 15-0 loss to the Bulldogs, 12-5 overall, 9-3 conference.
“We didn’t hit well and made multiple defensive errors against some good hitting by Murphy,” Peck remarked. “Errors coupled with timely hits allowed Murphy to get a jump offensively that we were unable to answer.”
Hayesville played without Odell, who missed the game due to the graduation ceremony at Tri-County Community College, where she earned her associates degree.
Robbinsville 14, Hayesville 6
On Thursday, the Lady Yellow Jackets proved to be a tougher foe than the Hayesville squad Robbinsville blanked, 7-0, two days prior.
Hayesville rapped six hits – two for extra bases, committed just two errors in the field and came back twice before succumbing 14-6 to the Smoky Mountain Conference champion Black Knights, 17-4 overall, 11-1 conference.
“It was a great effort of the team to keep fighting,” Peck stated. “We had some great timely hits with aggressive base running by Faith Odell and Morgan Crawford that forced some Robbinsville errors.”
Robbinsville jumped out to a 5-0 lead, but Hayesville tied the score in the bottom of the second inning. Odell’s single with two outs brought home Roberts to make it 5-all. Odell stole second and advanced to third on a throwing error, but was left stranded.
The Lady Knights broke the game open in the fourth with 6 runs on three free passes and five hits, the big blow being a two-run, fence-clearing home run.
Hayesville tried to fight back in the bottom of the inning. First, Wagner hung tough and fouled off two pitches before drawing a walk. Roberts moved Wagner along with a perfect sacrifice bunt before Robbinsville got the third out.
“Senior Night was a success and I was proud of the effort and enthusiasm,” Peck concluded.