Oak Ridge bats erupt against Midway

Oak Ridge High School’s softball team closed out the regular season last week with mixed results, highlighted by a dominant win to open the final stretch.

The Lady Wildcats, enjoying their best season in recent memory, entered the District 4-4A Tournament with a 10-16-1 overall record.

Oak Ridge opened the week in emphatic fashion with an 18-1 victory over Midway on Monday, April 20.

The Lady Wildcats needed just three innings, collecting 16 hits. They jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning before erupting for 10 runs in the second and adding five more in the third.

Bay Hensley, batting leadoff, went 3-for-3 with three runs scored and two RBIs.

She doubled and stole a base. Anslee Douglas finished 3-for-4 with two runs, a double, a stolen base and four RBIs. Amiyah King went 2-for-3 with two RBIs.

Kaylee Primm added two hits, including a double, along with a stolen base, an RBI and a run scored.

Hadley Gardner singled, scored and drove in two runs.

King pitched a complete game over three innings, allowing one run on five hits and one walk while striking out one.

Oak Ridge followed with a 6-3 win over Harriman. Hensley had three hits, scored a run and drove in another, while Primm delivered two triples, scored twice and added two RBIs.

The Lady Wildcats, however, couldn’t maintain that momentum in their final outings.

In a 6-4 loss to Knoxville West, Oak Ridge pounded out 10 hits but committed costly errors. Hensley went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, while Primm was 2-for-4 with two RBIs.

Oak Ridge then dropped its regular-season finale to Powell’s First Baptist Academy.

“We just didn’t hit the ball well in that game,” Lady Wildcats Coach Jeremy Gill said.

Hensley turned in a strong effort in the circle, tossing a complete game over six innings. She allowed three runs on nine hits and three walks while striking out nine. She also had a hit at the plate.

Berlyn Hollander went 2-for-3 with an RBI, while Leah Curran also drove in a run.