Morristown East blows past Grainger on Senior Night

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Morristown East celebrated Senior Night by pounding visiting Grainger County, 17-5, at King Park Monday night.

Seniors Adasia Davis, Kylie Rader and Keeley Shisler were honored in pregame ceremonies and then the Lady Hurricanes, led by Ella Wampler, went out and collected 15 hits on the way to their 10th win against 13 losses.

Wampler slugged a pair of three-run homers with one coming in the first and the other ended the game by the mercy-rule with one out in the bottom of the sixth.

Wampler’s homers, her eighth and ninth of the season, were totally opposites. The first-inning shot was a line drive to right-center field that didn’t take over three seconds to get out of the park. The sixth-inning blast was a towering drive over the road in left field.

Wampler was walked in her other three plate appearances and that left the hitting up to her teammates who were equal to the occasion.

Shisler, Davis, Hailey Hall, Jaelyn Valentine and freshman Jaycee Hamilton all had two hits for East. Hamilton, winning pitcher Rader and Kaleah Davis all added doubles to the attack.

Losing pitcher Brooklyn Copley led the Lady Grizzlies with a first-inning solo homer and a single. McKenna Key, Jaylee Hayes, Suzanne Barker and Macey Spangler all added singles for the visitors.

Rader pitched the full six innings in getting the mound victory. She gave up six hits and just one earned run while walking five and striking out seven.

Copley lasted 1.3 innings in taking the loss. She allowed seven hits and nine runs. Alison Byrd went the rest of the way.

East coach Sydney Davis said, “This was a good win for us. I thought everybody hit the ball well and Ella hit two long home runs.

“I thought we ran the bases well and played decent defense even though we made a couple of errors,” she added. “Kylie only gave up one earned run and pitched well when they had runners on base.”

Davis closed, “We’ve got Powell at home tomorrow night and play in the Tiny Day Classic this weekend so we have a b usy week ahead of us. It’s almost tournament time and we need to start playing good softball.”

Copley’s homer with two out in the first put the Lady Grizz on the scoreboard first but it didn’t last long. Shisler walked to start the East half of the first, Hamilton doubled and Wampler homered.

East took total control in the second when it collected seven hits and scored six times. Adasia Davis and Valentine had two safeties each in the uprising while Zoe Shelley had a two-run single.

Grainger took advantage of a pair of errors by the Lady ‘Canes and scored three times. Barker had the only hit in the frame for the Lady Grizzlies.

The Lady Hurricanes responded with four markers in its half of the inning. Three walks and back-to-back doubles by Kaleah Davis and Rader highlighted the rally that gave East a 13-4 lead.

Hayes singled and went to third when the ball got past the outfielder in the fifth inning. She then scored on Barker’s sacrifice fly.

East left runners on second and third in the fourth before going down in order in the fifth. That was the only time neither team had a baserunner.

The Lady ‘Canes wrapped it up in the sixth. Valentine walked to lead off the inning and Hall had a bunt single. After a pop out, Hamilton singled in a run before Wampler’s blast ended it.

East will play host to Powell tonight at King Park. Game time is set for 6 p.m.

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