SMYRNA — Oakland’s softball team came back from a 4-2 deficit from a suspended game on Thursday night and defeated Stewarts Creek 9-5 on Friday to close out the regular season.
Oakland finished 19-7 overall and 11-3 in district play, while Stewarts Creek fell to 11-21-1 overall and 5-9 in league play.
The last two innings on Friday were all Oakland as the Lady Patriots scored seven times on six hits, four walks and one hit batter.
Peyton Smith singled, scoring Laureli Hendrix and Olivia Logan to tie the score at 4-4.
Oakland went ahead on a hit by Onnika Spencer as she had a pair of hits and drove in three runs.
In the seventh, Oakland scored four times as Smith walked with the bases loaded, and Spencer doubled driving in a pair to make the score 9-4.
Stewarts Creek added a run in its last at bat and had the bases loaded, but Lady Patriots’ starter Rylee Veron worked out of the jam. She did walk a season-high nine batters but also struck out 10.
“It is all about a mental approach to hitting at the plate and right now we are not really swinging it well, but it is the postseason now and anything can happen,” Oakland coach Charlotte Peay said. “It should be a fun district tournament and very competitive.”
Oakland scored a run in the second inning before Stewarts Creek answered in the third as it loaded the bases on two walks and a hit. Kadin Shattles came up and put the ball over the wall for a grand slam to give the Red Hawks a 4-1 lead.
Oakland added another run in the fourth inning as Baylee Baron walked and later scored on a wild pitch to cut the lead to 4-2.
Stewarts Creek pitcher Grace Fijino went 6 1/3 innings, striking out eight and walking seven and hitting three batters. McKenzie Watkins relieved her and got the final two outs.
“We weren’t as aggressive in the box as we were before and we gave up too many freebies,” Stewarts Creek coach Jennifer Fernandez said. “We started hitting in the seventh inning but by then it was too late.”
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