MURFREESBORO – With Tuesday’s 4-1 win over Coffee County, Springfield made its triumphant return to the biggest stage in Tennessee high school softball.
The Yellow Jackets rode Elaina Goodfred’s go-ahead home run from the fourth inning on to win against last spring’s AAA runner-up in the first round of the Class 4A state tournament.
Their reward? Facing three-loss Farragut, the reigning AAA champion, Wednesday morning.
How are the Jackets responding to their brutal side of the bracket?
“We’ve had fun all day,” Springfield coach Daniel Owsley said. “They talked a Firehouse Subs (employee) into giving them a bucket. They had to do a cheer in the Firehouse Subs, and they did it. They’re just loose.”
Staying calm seems to be the key for Springfield (30-4) this time around.
The Jackets, winners of 19 straight games, let nerves get the best of them in their last trip to Murfreesboro in 2019. They won their first game against Hardin County before dropping consecutive contests en route to elimination.
As freshmen, Trevecca signees Brie Asmondy and Sarah Nicholson saw playing time against Hardin County Siegel and Knoxville Halls. The former struck out eight Coffee County batters across seven innings of three-hit ball, while Nicholson went 1-for-3 in the leadoff spot.
Still, Springfield found itself tied 1-1 with the Raiders (24-15) entering the bottom of the fourth inning. That’s when Goodfred, a junior, launched the second pitch she saw far beyond the centerfield fence.
“I think we needed a step and a push for us to think that we’ve got this,” said Goodfred, who also gave the Jackets an insurance run with a sixth-inning infield hit. “It helps us with our confidence.
“We just know how good we are, and I think we’re doing our best. We just want to win.”
The at-ease Jackets collected four runs on eight hits Tuesday night, while Asmondy pitched a no-hitter in the final five innings.
Farragut and Springfield face off at Murfreesboro’s Starplex at 11:30 a.m. Wednesday morning, with the winner advancing to Thursday’s slate of games.
“I think the whole key of it is to show up, play ball and see what happens,” Owsley said. “No matter the amount of scouting we do, it boils down to us doing what we do and us doing it well. We did that tonight, so we’ll see what happens tomorrow.”
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