Softball Eagles are 9-0 on season
Hiwassee Dam – With Mother Nature being unfriendly to Cherokee County this week, Friday presented a rare opportunity for Hiwassee Dam baseball and softball, as they both hosted a doubleheader against Andrews.
While both teams braved the cold, wind and occasional rain, the Eagles and Lady Eagles came out on top with a clean sweep. In softball, Hiwassee Dam bested Andrews 13-0 and 19-3 to move to 9-0 overall on the season. That’s the program’s best start to a season since 2016.
“What I’m loving is I keep telling them before every game this is the most important game of the season,” Lady Eagles head coach Roger Adams said. “You gotta focus on this one, not the last one, this one right there. Do not take any time we come across lightly. And they haven’t.”
Hiwassee Dam beat Andrews (7-8 overall, 1-5 in conference) 27-4 on March 28, and though these two games weren’t as lopsided, the Lady Eagles followed the template they have this whole season. They scored in bunches, and have scored at least 11 runs in seven of their nine games. In the other two games, they scored nine runs.
Allison Stiles got the Lady Eagles going in the first inning, hitting a laser over the fence for a two-out grand slam. It was the junior’s first career high school home run. Payton Palmer added another run in the second on an RBI triple, then Olivia McNabb scored another on an RBI groundout.
Hiwassee Dam sent 13 runners to the plate in the third inning, scoring seven runs on six hits and three walks. After Lauren Brooks pitched three scoreless innings to start the game, McNabb pitched the fourth and final inning in a run-rule win.
McNabb started the second game, and after struggling to find the strike zone early, settled in. She helped herself at the plate too, hitting two home runs. McNabb’s teammates followed her lead at the plate, as Hiwassee Dam had its third mercy rule win over the Lady Wildcats this season.
“Just kept doing what they’ve been doing in a sense of just thumping the ball and hitting it hard. It wasn’t like Andrews had a lot of errors,” Adams said. “We just hit it very, very well.”
Heading into spring break, Hiwassee Dam knows it’s a team that can hit. As it tries to make a push for a Smoky Mountain Conference championship, Adams said his team needs to focus on defense and improve on the mental side of the game. Still, he’s satisfied with the way his team has played so far.
“I love what they’re doing, the direction they’re headed,” Adams said. “I don’t think that they’re scared of any team.”