BRYSON CITY, WNC – The Lady Devil softball team jumped straight back into play after a spring break where practice was at a minimal, and it showed in their play. Swain barely survived three games in three days against Cherokee and Highlands, having to come from behind to secure wins in the final two games.
Saturday the Lady Devils had their biggest scare of the season, and perhaps in the history of their storied franchise. Swain trailed 4-3 heading into the top of the seventh inning, and were three outs away from their first loss in conference play.
Junior Jessica Winchester came up with a huge single to lead off the top of the seventh for Swain. Olivia Steely came on to run for Winchester. Freshman Summer Hight bunted to advance Steely, Highlands misplayed the bunt throwing the ball into rightfield, allowing Steely to score and tie the game at four. Following a Brooke Coggins single Maggie Sutton singled to score Hight and give the Lady Devils the lead. Swain went on to score seven more runs in the inning and take a hard fought 12-6 win.
One day earlier the Lady Devils found themselves down a run in the late innings to Cherokee. The Lady Braves scored a run in the top of the sixth to take a 7-6 lead over Swain. In the bottom of the sixth the Lady Devils answered with four runs to take a 10-7 win from the Braves.
It took junior Nerissa Woodard one pitch to erase the Cherokee lead in the bottom of the sixth. Woodard took the first pitch she saw out to deep centerfield for her first home run of the season. Nikki Cody and Brooke Coggins followed with singles, and later scored on a Hannah Bowick double down the left field line. Kaitlin Abels, running for Bowick, scored when Maggie Sutton singled to wrap up the Devils strong sixth inning.
The day before Swain downed Cherokee 12-2 in five innings. Sophomore Kendra Kirkland drove in a pair of runs with a pair of doubles. Brooke Coggins pounded had two hits including her first career home run, to go with a triple and four rbi. Brittany Shuler and Nikki Cody anchored the top of the order with six combined hits and scored five runs.