Hiwassee Dam – The Hiwassee Dam softball team kicked off its season with a win over Swain County, but then fell to the Lady Maroon Devils in the home opener.
The Lady Eagles kicked off their season in winning fashion on March 11 as they traveled to Swain County and came home with the 4-2 win.
After 3½ scoreless innings to start the game, Swain scored two runs in the bottom of the fourth.
The Lady Maroon Devils led 2-0 until the top of the sixth when the Lady Eagles grabbed the lead with three runs. The Lady Eagles topped off their win with one more run in the top of the seventh to win their season opener 4-2.
The Lady Eagles’ runs were scored by Gracie Rhodes, Brinkley Payne, Brooklyn Hyde and Olivia McNabb.
Payne and McNabb also hit one double each as the only Lady Eagles with extra-base hits. Olivia Williams was the only Lady Eagle to steal a base.
McNabb pitched a complete game for the Lady Eagles, giving up two runs on two hits and three walks. She also struck out six Swain batters in a 100-pitch outing.
On Friday, the Lady Eagles returned home for the second game in the series with Swain, but this time the result went the other way.
After this game also started with 3½ scoreless innings, the Lady Eagles took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the fourth courtesy of runs scored by Autumn Kamaras and Rhodes.
After leading 2-0 for the first six innings, Swain scored six runs in the top of the seventh and held the Lady Eagles scoreless in the bottom to win the game 6-2.
McNabb pitched 6.1 innings Friday, giving up four runs on five hits and five walks with six strikeouts. Williams pitched 0.2 innings and gave up two runs on three hits.
Today, the Lady Eagles travel to Franklin to play a double header with the first game starting at 4 p.m. They will then return home at 4:30 p.m. Friday to take on Hayesville. On Tuesday, they will travel to Robbinsville to take on the Black Knights.