The top-seeded Union City girls dispatched Gleason in an elimination game, before falling to No. 2 Dresden in a wild District 14A softball championship game.
The Lady Lions claimed the district title on a walk-off two-run single in the ninth.
School Communications Director Mike Hutchens said junior workhorse Mattie Smith, who threw an amazing 273 pitches in the two games combined, tossed a two-hitter in the win against Gleason for her 10th win of the season.
Smith fanned 11, with the Lady Bulldogs’ lone run being unearned.
District regular-season Most Valuable Player Addison Carr tripled, singled, and scored three runs as Union City broke open a close contest with five runs in the bottom of the sixth.
Kennedi Robinson went 2-for-3 with a run scored and an RBI, while Carr, Mattie Smith, Hadley Smith, Whitley Jenkins, and Ari Gear also knocked in runs.
The nightcap against Dresden was a back-and-forth affair, that was tied at the end of regulation.
Union City took a brief 8-7 lead in the top of the ninth, when Hadley Smith’s bunt brought home Carr from third.
Dresden then answered with back-to-back singles with two outs, after a lead-off walk to cap its deciding rally.
Mattie Smith’s solo home run that clanged off the Eddlemon-Hawks scoreboard in right field highlighted Union City’s offense and her 3-for-4 night at the plate that included a triple, three runs scored, and two ribbies.
Carr had two hits and scored three times, Kylie Mayes went 2-for-4 with two RBIs, and Hadley Smith drove in two runs. Whitley Jenkins scored twice.
“We came into today with the one-game-at-a-time approach, and we gave it our all for 16 innings,” Lady Tornado head coach Stevie Gossett said afterward. “We gave ourselves a chance, and that’s all you can ask for.
“Even though we’re disappointed in the outcome of the second game, the goals we had at the beginning of the season are still attainable and in front of us. We’ll be ready to go on Monday in the regional tournament.”
Union City was well-represented in the post-game awards ceremony as Mattie Smith, Robinson, Jenkins, Hadley Smith, and Kylee McClure were named to the All-District team. Robinson, a Dyersburg State signee, earned a spot on the All-Academic team, an honor reserved for seniors with at least a 3.0 grade point average.
Carr, Mattie Smith, and Kylee Mayes were picked from the Lady Tornadoes for the All-Tournament team.
(photos: Mike Hutchens – School Communications Director)
