Both Baylor diamond squads, Silverdale softball highlight first day of 2024 Spring Fling action.

BY JEFF CATE (TEAM FYN SPORTS CONTRIBUTOR) – The first day of the 31^st annual TSSAA Spring Fling Championships in Murfreesboro was Tuesday and locally, 11 total baseball and softball teams, 3 soccer squads, and numerous tennis matches highlighted day 1 action.

SOFTBALL

(DII-AA) Baylor 8, CCS 4 = The Lady Raiders quest for state championship number 17 got off to a good start in a battle of Chattanooga squads as Baylor knocked of Chattanooga Christian for the third time in 2024 (went 2-0 in the regular season, both 8-0 victories and outscoring CCS overall 24-4 in three meetings this season). Seniors Avery Shamblin and Kaylee Snyder combined for 15 strikeouts on 4 hits while Snyder, Addi Yates, and Holly Merritt went a combined 8 of 11 from the plate (8 of the 13 total for Baylor). The Lady Raiders advances to the Division II-AA semifinals to take on St. Benedict at 4:30pm Wednesday while Chattanooga Christian will take on CPA in an elimination game at 4:30pm.

(DII-A) Silverdale 7, Lakeway Christian 1 = The Lady Seahawks journey to back-to-back state titles began with their 48^th win of 2024. Ella Cunningham added to her state lead in strikeouts by tossing 14 strikeouts in a complete game effort to lead SBA. Cunningham, Kennedy Stinson, and Gabriella Hensley went 6 of 10 from the plate combined, including homeruns from Cunningham and Stinson. Silverdale and USJ will face off in a Division II-A semifinal at 4:30pm while Lakeway Christian and Knox Grace will play in an elimination game at the same time.

(4A) Dobyns Bennett 4, Walker Valley 0 = The Feisty Fillies’ fourth trip to Spring Fling did not start the way Coach Lauren Limburg and the Lady Mustangs wanted as they were shut out for only the second time this season. Walker Valley recorded 3 errors and 5 hits for the game off the bats of Karly Blackwell, Amy Benson, Alyssa Davenport, and Morgan Rice while Ryann Presswood went the distance on the bump for the Lady Mustangs. Walker Valley will take on Arlington in an elimination showdown at 11am.

(3A) Soddy Daisy 5, Creek Wood 4 = In one of the day’s most entertaining matchups, the Lady Trojans rallied from a 4-2 deficit in the bottom of the 7^th inning, getting 3 runs in the final frame to advance in their 19^th Spring Fling appearance in school history. Regan Rowan went the distance for Soddy Daisy in a complete game, 5 strikeout performance in addition to a 3 of 4 effort at the plate. The Lady Trojans advance to take on Gibbs at 2pm on Wednesday.

(2A) Meigs County 14, Riverside 1 = The Lady Tigers made their presence known on day 1 with a 13-run victory, which included a nine run 7^th inning to begin their 9^th Spring Fling appearance. Lainey Fitzgerald had a 1 run, 1 hit performance for Meigs County on the mound while Fitzgerald, Sadie Scott, Sierra Howard, Alexis Kazy, and Kylee Hitson had multiple hits from the plate for the Lady Tigers. Meigs County advances to take on Huntingdon on Wednesday at 1pm.

BASEBALL

(DII-AA) Baylor 6, Christian Brothers 4 = Christian Brothers scored their lone 4 runs in the bottom of the first inning but it was all Red Raiders after that. 3 runs in the top of 2^nd inning got the rally started while adding a run in the top of the 3^rd inning and capped the scoring with 2 in the top of the 6^th. Nelson McKnight and Jack Schuman had 2 hits each for Baylor while Jax Bishop and Matt Dill struck out 7 combined batters (Bishop got the win for the Red Raiders). Baylor moves on to take on Briarcrest on Wednesday at 1:30pm.

(DII-A) Goodpasture 4, Boyd Buchanan 2 = The Buccaneers got the game going by scoring 2 runs on a Copper Jones 2 run homer in the top of the 1^st inning but Goodpasture answered with 2 of their own in the bottom of the second while adding single runs in the 3^rd and 6^th innings to knock off the Bucs in Boyd Buchanan’s first Spring Fling appearance since 2015. Boyd Buchanan will take on Providence Academy at 11am Wednesday, looking to keep their season alive.

(4A) Arlington 4, Bradley Central 0 = Arlington starting pitcher Jack Hibbard tossed a no-hitter while striking out 11 in a shutout effort over the Bears. Arlington had a nice, consistent effort from the plate with 4 runs on 4 hits (scored in the bottom of the 2^nd, 4^th, 5^th, and 6^th inning). The Bears and Oak Ridge, who’s back in the state tournament for the first time since 1972, will play in a loser’s bracket matchup at 11am on Wednesday.

(3A) Greeneville 4, Signal Mountain 0 = In a game that did not get started until almost 11pm eastern time, Spring Fling after dark did not affect the defending state champion Greene Devils. Signal Mountain will take on Station Camp at 11am on Wednesday.

(1A) Oakdale 5, South Pittsburg 2 = Oakdale put 4 runs on the board in the top of the 4^th inning and Joseph Summers went the distance in a complete game effort to advance in the winner’s bracket. Despite having 3 errors on the day, the Pirates cut the lead in half to 4-2 in the bottom of the 6^th inning and was within striking distance, but the Eagles added an insurance run in the top of the final frame to put the game away. South Pittsburg and Union City will tangle in an elimination game at 11am on Wednesday.

SOCCER

(1A) CSAS 5, STEM Prep Academy 0 = CSAS scored 4 goals in the first half to set the tone in a shutout effort. Willem Cooley and Eliot Nichols each netted 2 goals, Shrish Sharma added 1 goal, and Rohan Woodruff stopped 5 shots in goal. CSAS has a date with Memphis Business in the semifinals at 7:30pm on Wednesday.

(3A) Howard 1, Science Hill 0 = The Hustling Tigers netted their first win ever at Spring Fling in a defensive battle on the pitch, the lone goal came from Jaime Roman Pablo at 48:54. Howard and Ravenwood will meet in the semifinals at 5:30pm on Wednesday.

(3A) Bearden 4, Walker Valley 0 = The Mustangs’ special season ended in their first appearance at Spring Fling. Walker Valley goalkeeper Jason Osorie had a busy day in net, with 15 total shots on goal and stopping 11 of those. Bearden will take on Hendersonville in the semifinals at 5:30pm Wednesday, with the winner taking on the winner of Howard and Ravenwood.