Heritage girls fall to Farragut in tourney

By Pete Herbert
Daily Times Correspondent

KNOXVILLE -- The Heritage Lady Mountaineers just barely missed the exit to Upset City.

In the first round of the double-elimination bracket in the District 4-AAA softball tournament, Heritage had plenty of chances,but was unable to execute in a 3-2, nine-inning loss to top-seeded Farragut at South-Doyle on Monday night.

"From a spectator's standpoint, it appeared to be a great game," Lady Mountaineer coach Mark Dowlen said. "But defensively we missed a lot of opportunities there."

Heritage had five errors in the loss, but for most of the game things were heading for an upset.

Lady Mountaineer junior Autumn Potter gave Heritage a 1-0 lead in the top of the fifth with a solo home run deep to center off Farragut ace Rachel Ingleby. It was Potter again who would drive in the go-ahead run in the top of the seventh after a Tracy Hardiman lead-off triple. But the Lady Admirals were simply given too many free passes.

The Heritage defense, behind the arm of Miranda Rayburn, avoided bases-loaded threats in late innings, and Rayburn struck out the side in the bottom of the eighth for more free softball and another shot at the win. But Farragut scored with bases loaded in the bottom of the ninth for the win without recording a single hit in the inning.

Rayburn allowed just five hits while striking out 10 in the nine-inning loss. Only one of the three runs was earned.

Potter finished 2-for-3 with two RBIs, while Hardiman and Rayburn were the only two other Lady Mountaineers with a hit.

Heritage drops the losers' bracket and will face William Blount today at 8 p.m. at South-Doyle.

"We just have to come in tomorrow knowing it's win or go home," Dowlen said. "That has to be our number one motivation to win."