MURFREESBORO, Tenn. -- Soddy-Daisy right-hander Kelsey Nunley continued Wednesday the pitching mission she's been on throughout her senior season, but as always she needs at least a little offense.
Haley Reynolds provided all the offense the Kentucky signee would need with her run-scoring double in the fifth inning, but she added a much bigger hit in a much bigger rally the next inning and the Lady Trojans ended up cruising past Munford 10-0 in six innings in the Class AAA state high school softball tournament at McKnight No. 1.
Soddy-Daisy (44-4) will face Coffee County in today's winners-bracket final at Starplex No. 1 at approximately 7:30 p.m.
Nunley was her harshest critic after her no-walk, 15-strikeout effort with Kentucky head coach Rachel Lawson looking on. The only hit she allowed was Maggie Johnson's hard bunt that died in front of shortstop Jessica Boles.
"I got them out," Nunley said, "but I didn't hit my spots the way I wanted to."
Soddy-Daisy coach Clifford Kirk was less critical of his ace's performance.
"We're where we wanted to be after this game," Kirk said.
Reynolds, who went 3-for-4 in the Lady Trojans' tournament opener, was 4-for-4 against the Lady Cougars. She came to bat with the bases loaded and none out in the sixth, but two wild pitches reduced what would've been a grand slam to a two-run homer.
"I'm just trying to see it and hit it," Reynolds said. "Things are going fine for me right now. I think we can win this thing. I'm really confident."
Tori Denayer's home run got Soddy-Daisy's eight-run outburst started with a home run and she hit an RBI single her next time up in the inning.
"I think the worst we can possibly be is third, and I've never finished third," Kirk said. "We don't want to be third. I think we can play with anybody."
Kelley Smiddie is a sports writer who has worked at the Times Free Press for 12 years. He covers high school sports and softball. Kelley’s hometown is Chattanooga, and he graduated from Brainerd High School and graduated Chattanooga State and UTC. Contact Kelley at 423-757-6653 or ksmiddie@timesfreepress.com.
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