Morristown East clinches Region 1-4A berth, moves on to District 2-4A Championship

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Morristown East erupted to score seven runs in the bottom of the second inning and went on to a 12-1 victory over Jefferson County Wednesday night in the District Two 4-A Softball Tournament at J. C. Wild Park.

The Lady Hurricanes banged out 15 hits in the victory. The win gives East another shot at unbeaten West in the finals tonight at 5:30 p.m. and assured Coach Sydney Davis’ club of another region tournament berth. To win the title, East would have to win tonight and again on Friday.

Winning pitcher Ella Wampler laced a line drive for a three-run homer to highlight the second-inning uprising. It was Wampler’s 14th of the season which is a new school single-season record.

Hannah Hall also homered for the Lady ‘Canes who improved to 14-17 for the season and defeated the Lady Patriots for the fourth time.

The Lady Patriots closed the season with an 11-22 worksheet.

Jaycee Hamilton had two doubles and a single for East while Hailey Hall also got three hits. Keeley Shisler, Hudson Cloninger, Wampler and Hannah Hall all had two safeties and Adasia Davis chipped in a double.

“I thought we did a good job of hitting the softball tonight,” said Davis. “I was proud of the way the girls bounced back tonight.”

Davis added, “I thought Ella pitched well and we played good defense behind her. I thought Jaycee made a couple of really good plays at shortstop.”

Wampler gave up two hits, walked only one and struck out six in winning over Tia Stewart. The run for the losers was unearned.

East started the scoring quickly as Cloninger walked, stole second and scored on Hamilton’s double in the bottom of the first.

The Lady ‘Canes collected seven hits in the second with six of those coming consecutively. With one out, Hannah Hall singled and Hailey Hall followed with a bunt single. Shisler singled in a run and Cloninger’s bunt hit scored another.

Wampler then smashed a line shot off the top of the fence in left and it was 6-0. Hamilton doubled again and Zoe Shelley walked with both scoring on Davis’ double.

East added three markers in the third. Hailey Hall, Shisler, Wampler and Hamilton all had hits in the inning as the lead grew to 11-0.

The Lady Patriots got their run in the fourth when Ava Garay wound up at second on a throwing error off a ground ball. Garay came around to score on a bloop single to right field by McKaylee Hobby.

Hannah Hall led off the bottom of the frame with her second home run of the week. The Lady Canes stranded runners at second and third.

Wampler fanned the first batter in the fifth but issued her only walk to Bella Watson.

However, Wampler got the next two batters on ground balls to end the game.

The district champion will play host to the second place team in District One to open the region next week while the runner up will play at the champion.

Daniel Boone is unbeaten in the District One while Dobyns-Bennett has one loss. Those two play for the title tonight.

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