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Star Correspondent

JONESBOROUGH – A pitching duel broke out in the District 1-2A playoff opener at David Crockett High School between Unicoi County’s Lela Byrd and Elizabethton’s Laci Gobble. Byrd drove in the game’s lone run with a first-inning RBI double, and the Lady Blue Devils hung on for a 1-0 victory.

Unicoi County got a bunt single from leadoff hitter Aliyah Engle, who stole second and moved to third on a ground ball from Kianna Woodword, and Byrd drove a 2-1 pitch to the fence in center field to plate Engle.

“We had that bunt covered, but she just beat it out,” Lady Cyclones head coach Kenneth Hardin said. “Sadie got to it quickly enough, but she is really fast and just beat the throw. I felt that we played unbelievably on defense, and I’m not making excuses by any means, but we have freshmen all over the field. I still think we can play with anyone.”

Gobble scattered five hits, struck out nine and gave up two intentional walks to Byrd if she came up with runners on base. Byrd, however, was unhittable in the first three innings, setting down the Cyclones in order other than plunking Piper Kate Bennett in the second inning.

EHS (22-12, 3-5 conference) collected just two hits against Byrd, who struck out 14 and did not issue a free pass. Mikina Blackwell singled to short in the fourth with one away and went to second on an error.

Blackwell was stranded when Byrd struck out Adrian Heading and Bennett to end the threat. The other Cyclones hit came from Katie Gryder in the sixth, and that followed an error on catcher Woodword, who failed to hold on to strike three to Jozey Reece, who reached first on the play.

Gryder’s hit moved Reece to second, but EHS was not able to push the runs across, as both Blackwell and Heading hit fly balls to the infield and the threat was over.

“I’m proud of the kids to give this kind of effort,” Hardin said. “Gobble pitched her heart out, and she is going to be something special. She is already mentally tough and has a great attitude, and she is only a ninth grader.”

Unicoi County began a rally in the last of the third when Carly Baxter led off with a double to left field. Gobble struck out Woodword, intentionally walked Byrd and struck out both Abigail Peterson and Katey Toney.

Byrd, however, finished strong, striking out the side in the top of the seventh, retiring Bennett, Gobble and Lilly McDuffie to put a bow on the Devils’ victory.

District 1-2A playoff
David Crockett High School
Unicoi County 1, Elizabethton 0
Elizabethton 000 000 0 – 0 2 0
Unicoi Co. 100 000 x – 1 5 2
W – Byrd
L – Gobble
2B – Byrd, Carly Baxter, Kianna Woodword