BY JEFF CATE (TEAM FYN SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR)

 

MURFREESBORO, Tenn. – The wait was definitely worth it if you were wearing green and gold at Blue Raider Softball Field on the campus of Middle Tennessee State University on Thursday. With the Division II-A Softball Championship being delayed because of weather, the Silverdale Lady Seahawks fell behind early but rallied to knock off University School of Jackon 8-2.

 

Lady Seahawks ace, and state leader in strikeouts, Ella Cunningham faced some rare adversity early in this one. USJ’s Haylen Ayers laid down a bunt in the first at bat, then Abbey Brown reached first on a Cunningham error and then got in scoring position on a sacrifice.Taylar Shands ripped an RBI double with 2 outs to give the Bruins an early 2-0 lead. Kennedy Stinson would get Silverdale on the board in the bottom of the 1st inning with an RBI double of her own, bringing home Jaliyah Whitaker who got on base after being hit by a pitch in her at bat and reaching second base on a wild pitch, cutting the USJ lead to 2-1 after 1 inning.

 

Neither team put runs on the scoreboard in the 2nd and 3rd innings, but Silverdale got the bats going in the bottom of the 4th and soared to their first lead of the game. Cunningham doubled to open the inning, followed by an RBI single from Braylee Raby that brought Allie Weber home (pinch runner for Cunningham) and tied the game at 2-2. Raby would score on a single by Bita Cox two at-bats later to make it 3-2 Lady Seahawks at the end of 4.

After a scoreless 5th inning and holding USJ to zero runs once again it the top of the 6th, Silverdale showed why they’ve been one of the best teams in Tennessee and America all season. Cox doubled in the first at-bat, followed by an RBI single from Avery Danz to give SBA a two-run advantage at 4-2.

Eliana Phillips singled then got to second base on a steal, giving the Lady Seahawks 2 runners in scoring position. Karoline Kennedy, who came in to run for Danz after her single, scored on a wild pitch that allowed Phillips to reach third in the process, making it 5-2 SBA. Emry Masterson stepped to the plate and launched an RBI double into left field, bringing home Phillips and 6-2 Silverdale lit up the scoreboard. Raby would finish the scoring in the inning with an RBI double in left field that brought home Masterson and Heidi Bryant, giving the Lady Seahawks an 8-2 lead and needing only 3 outs to bring home the hardware.

The lone Silverdale seniors, Cunningham and Stinson, would have their hands on the final out in as Cunningham’s pitch was caught by Stinson on a flyout to center and the Lady Seahawks meet in the pitcher’s circle to celebrate back-to-back state championships and the third in school history. Silverdale finishes the 2024 season with a record of 50-3.

 

Follow Jeff on “X” at @TheJeffCate