Softball Roundup, Oct. 12: Greenville upsets Chaffee in district opener

The seventh-seeded Greenville Bears stunned second-seeded Chaffee 8-5 in the first round of the MSHSAA Class 2 District 1 playoffs Tuesday at Rains Field, the only lower seed to win in the tournament’s opening round.

In other first-round action, fourth-seeded Twin Rivers downed No. 5 Saxony Lutheran 3-1, top-seeded Kelly shut out No. 8 Seymour 4-0 and No. 3 Hartville downed sixth-seeded Gainesville 3-1.

Kelly will take on Twin Rivers at 3 p.m. Wednesday while Greenville will face Hartville at 5 p.m. in the other semifinal.

The championship is set for 5 p.m. Thursday.

The Bears scored three runs in the top of the sixth inning to snap a 5-all tie and pull off the upset.

Greenville (8-9) twice took the lead against the Red Devils earlier in the game, but Chaffee rallied both times. However, the third time was a charm for the Bears, who were making their fall playoff debut after playing during the spring in recent years.

Dakota Friley and Savannah Despain both reached base in top of the sixth for Greenville. With two outs, Brianna DeSpain doubled down the left-field line to score both and give the Bears the lead for good. Brianna DeSpain later scored on an error to cap the rally.

Brianna DeSpain and Kenzie Hill each drove in two runs for the Bears, while both DeSpains each had a pair of hits. Laramie Blackburn earned the win in the pitcher’s circle, going the distance while allowing four hits and no earned runs.

CLASS 1

VAN BUREN 8, ALTON 1

At Ellsinore, fourth-seeded Van Buren got a one-hitter in the circle from Scarlett Alcorn and scored in all but one inning as they downed No. 5 Alton 8-1 in the first round of the Class 1, District 1 Tournament Tuesday afternoon.

The Lady Dawgs led 2-0 entering the fourth inning when they broke the game open. Emma O’Dell doubled to drive home Addison Lewis to make it 3-0, then O’Dell stole home to make it 4-0. After Olivia Christensen walked and Ella Wilbanks singled, Olivia Brown doubled them both home to make it 6-0.

Brown had three hits and drove in three runs for Van Buren, while Hadley Grassham also added three hits. Wilbanks scored three runs on the day.

The Lady Dawgs will take on top-seeded Neelyville today at 2 p.m. in the district semifinals. Second-seeded East Carter will face No. 3 Naylor at 4 p.m. today after the Eagles routed Bakersfield 12-0 in the early game Tuesday afternoon.