LADY RAIDERS SOFTBALL DELIVERS SHUTOUT IN HOME OPENER

Emma MacTavish was in command from the start, delivering a five-inning shutout with just two hits to power the Roane State Lady Raiders to an 8-0 victory over Patrick Henry in their home-opener Thursday, February 12. The sophomore right-hander struck out six and walked just two, setting the tone as her team swept the Patriots 8-0 and 11-3.

McTavish faced the first two batters of the game and walked them both, an uncharacteristic beginning for the reliable ace, but after a quick mound visit from head coach Marty McDaniel, she locked in. "I told her, 'You've thrown 10 pitches and two strikes. That's not you,'" McDaniel said. "We need you to be you."

McTavish was nearly unhittable from that moment on. She retired 18 of her final 20 batters, scattering those two hits and never allowing a runner past second base. The sophomore threw 90 pitches, 57 for strikes, in a performance that set the tone for the series.

The Lady Raiders' offense, meanwhile, provided all the support needed. After a quiet first inning, Roane State erupted for six runs in the second to blow the game open. The top of the order did the heavy lifting, getting on base and cashing in with runners in scoring position.

"The hitting was the key to it today," McDaniel said. "We got key hits with runners in scoring position. We hit well above average, and when we got on base, we knocked them in and drove them home."

Shortstop Alea Hensley went 2-for-2 with two runs scored, including a double, while catcher Emilee Hawkes drove in three runs on a pair of hits, including a double that plated two. Center fielder Cyla Swafford and left fielder Lizzi Lowe each added RBI singles as part of a balanced attack that produced nine hits.

Game 2 provided a tougher test, with the Lady Raiders falling behind 3-0 early against the Patriots, but they refused to fold in what McDaniel described as a measuring stick for a young team.

"This is only our sixth game of the season," McDaniel said. "We need games like this to see what this team's made of. We didn't get down. We just kept battling. We didn't give into pressure, and we came back."

Freshman Zoey Cranford started on the mound and battled through some early trouble, allowing five hits and three runs over five innings. She struck out six and limited the damage, with McDaniel noting her growth in real time.

"Zoe settled down," he said. "She gave up a lot of two-strike hits, and that's what we talked about during the game: 'Hey, you're getting ahead in the count 0-2, 1-2, and then you're giving up hits. Throw the ball off the plate. You're too close to the plate.' For her, it's more of just being a freshman, and learning how to pitch accurately."

The Lady Raiders rallied with a vengeance down 3-0 in Game 2, scratching across a run in the third before exploding for eight in the fourth to take a commanding lead. The offense racked up 13 hits and 10 RBIs, showing the depth McDaniel has been building.

Third baseman Emily Hawkes continued her hot streak, going 2-for-3 with three RBIs, while first baseman Kaliyah Lucas crushed a home run and drove in two RBIs. Swafford was perfect at the top of the order, finishing 3-for-3 with three runs scored and a pair of triples, while Marah Yeo added two hits and an RBI from the leadoff spot.

Cranford earned the win, improving the Raiders to 3-3 on the young season. McDaniel was pleased with how his team responded to adversity in the Game 2. "We're going to get down some in these games," he said. "We have to bounce back and take care of business, and we did that today."