MURFREESBORO — For years, Smyrna High’s softball program had been viewed as a doormat, or stepchild to Rutherford County softball programs.
Things, though, are different today.
The Lady Bulldogs are state champions.
Smyrna defeated Dickson County 6-3 at Starplex on Friday afternoon to win the program’s first Class AAA state softball title on the final day of BlueCross Spring Fling. The championship comes 33 years after the school finished state runner-up in its only other state tournament appearance.
“We made history,” Smyrna coach Luke Sheppard yelled. “It is unreal. That is what we set out to do right there. That is awesome.
“Smyrna High School has really, if you will, been the stepchild of (District 7-AAA) and of softball for really a long time. For us to come out and put your name in the books that will be there forever, I guarantee you people will remember where this trophy is.”
Smyrna (40-10) finished the season with the most wins in school history. The Lady Bulldogs won just 10 games as early as 2011.
Smyrna beat Dickson County for the second time in as many days. The Lady Bulldogs broke the game open with a three-run fifth inning that gave Smyrna a 6-1 lead. Taylor Randolph’s ground-rule double scored Kristin Hunsicker. Randolph and Kelsey Russell later scored on a throwing error.
“We never wanted to look ahead,” said Smyrna senior Kaitlin Crumpler, a Trevecca signee. “We stayed focused.
“It’s incredible. We had different girls step up every game. It wasn’t just one person every game.”
Makenzie Prince (37-6) held Dickson County to just five hits. However, her defense made several big plays behind her. Prince, who had struck out 10 or more batters in five of the last six games entering the title game, finished with just two strikeouts in the title game. She also walked four batters.
“They are a good hitting team,” said Prince, who had 13 strikeouts against the Lady Cougars on Thursday in Smyrna’s 1-0 win to reach the title game. “I didn’t expect myself to get as many strikeouts as I got (Thursday) night. I don’t expect it.”
Prince finished the week with just two earned runs in four games and 31 innings pitched.
Smyrna took a 2-0 lead in the top of the third when Prince hit a two-run homer off Dickson County ace Brooklin Lee. Her homer also scored Veronica Westfall, who had singled. The Lady Bulldogs increased the lead to 3-0 an inning later.
Randolph walked and scored on Ray Allen’s fielder’s choice when Randolph beat a throw to home on Allen’s ground ball.
Dickson County cut the deficit to 3-1 in the bottom of the fourth on Lee’s ground out that scored Payton Grove.
With Smyrna leading Dickson County 6-1 in the bottom of the seventh, the Lady Cougars scored two off Prince before Prince ended the game with a ground out.
Source: DNJ.COM
