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Mt. Juliet took the early lead against Green Hill, going up 3-0 in the top of the first inning on an RBI single by Aynslee Bright and Kara Hughes’ two-run double.

But Green Hill’s relentless offense tied the score in the bottom half on a single by tournament Most Valuable Player Keilyn Burns and a groundout by Taylor Watson.

Kendall Davis’ RBI double lifted the Lady Hawks to a 4-3 lead in the second inning and Green Hill never trailed again. RBI singles by Jayla Page and Reagan Walter made it 6-3 in the third.

The rain got a little harder in the fourth inning and Green Hill drenched Mt. Juliet with six runs on just two hits. Lady Bears coach Kevin Costley, burned repeatedly by Avary Stockwell’s home runs, pitched around the Lady Hawk slugger. In this case when she came to the plate to open the inning, she left her bat in the dugout as the umpire waved her to first base.

She scored anyway on a rundown. Watson singled home one run and Julia O’Donnell knocked in two more with a single. Alyx Frost and Stockwell (this time holding a stick as the Lady Bears were pitching to her but not giving her anything good to hit) drew bases-loaded walks.

Both teams used multiple pitchers. Green Hill coach Savannah Sanders stuck with Savannah Wilson, who worked 3 1/3 innings for the win as she allowed a run on three hits and three walks with two strikeouts.

Jewel Hale had to return to the circle for Mt. Juliet after Annalise Mecklenburg took a shot to the foot on a comebacker, forcing the pair to swap positions with first base for the second time in the game.

Burns drove in four runs on two hits, including two on the walk-off double in the sixth for the 10-run lead. Walter, batting leadoff, had three of Green Hill’s 11 hits. Watson and Page also had a pair of hits apiece as the Lady Hawks drew 12 walks.

Mt. Juliet leadoff hitter Kendall Bucher banged out three hits while Bright had two as the Lady Bears lost for the 13th straight time to their city rival dating to the 2022 postseason. They will travel to a region game Monday with a 33-13 record,

Green Hill improved to 30-3-2 and will host a region game Monday and, with a 31st win, the championship game Wednesday.

Walter, Page, Stockwell and Chezney Whipker joined Burns on the all-tournament team. Hughes, Bucher and Ashlyn Elliott made the team from Mt. Juliet.

Earlier, Elliott pitched the complete game Mt. Juliet’s elimination of Beech. She allowed four this and seven walks while striking out eight.

The bottom of the lineup was most productive for the Lady Bears as Brookelynn Aldridge, Sierra Schoop and Annabella Brewer combined for half of their eight hits, with Brewer driving in all three runs, the first two of which came in the second inning.

Wilson pitches another shutout, drives in lone run as Friendship wins Middle RegionNASHVILLE — Friendship Christian beat rival Donelson Christian 1-0 Tuesday at Davidson Academy to take the Middle Region championship.

Izzy Wilson threw a complete-game shutout for the second straight night, allowing four hits and two walks while striking out nine.

She also drove in the game’s only run in the third inning when her single to left-center field brought in Angela Eden, who singled and was sacrificed to second base by Mia Toler.

Friendship earned the No. 1 seed out of the Middle Region and will host a best-of-three state quarterfinal series next week. In the meantime, FCS will host a State XII first-round game Saturday between Evangelical Christian and the second-place team from the East Region with the winner returning next week to take on the Lady Commanders.

Wilson was named Most Valuable Player of the tournament and was joined on the all-region team by Eden and Khloe Smith. Wilson was also named co-Pitcher of the Year for District 4-IIA. Eden, Smith, Claire Miller and Bella Ellis were named all-district.

Lady Tigers reach 5-2A final

WATERTOWN — Watertown advanced to the District 5-2A final Wednesday with a 12-0 trouncing of Monterey.

The Lady Purple Tigers jumped to a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning. They added six in the third and four in the fourth, finishing with 10 hits in the five-inning affair. Monterey also committed four errors and issued five walks.

Monterey faced Smith County in the loser’s bracket final and the winner faced Watertown again last night in the championship round. The Lady Tigers clinched a spot in the Region 3-2A tournament with Wednesday’s win.

Avery Taylor tossed a three-hit shutout with no walks and seven strikeouts.

Harlie Phillips doubled as she and Olivia Lester each singled twice and drove in three runs. Zoey Thomas also singled twice.

Smyrna ousts Lebanon from 7-4A tournament

SMYRNA — Lebanon was forced from the District 7-4A tournament Tuesday by an 11-1 loss to Smyrna at Stewarts Creek.

The Lady Bulldogs jumped to a 4-0 lead in the first inning against Alyssa Horney.

Adaeze Nwogbo, who hit a three-run homer in the third inning, was the winning pitcher with two hits allowed and seven strikeouts in five innings for the second-seeded Lady Bulldogs, who were knocked into the loser’s bracket by Wilson Central on Monday.

Teagan Fetcho drove in Lebanon’s run.

Fetcho, Keeli Davis and Reagan Schmitz represented Lebanon on the all-district team while Maci Hodge and Kenzie Jordan were named honorable mention.

Lady Hawks run-rule Mt. Juliet to reach district final, region

MT. JULIET — Green Hill returned to the District 12-4A championship game with a 12-2 run rule win of visiting Mt. Juliet on Tuesday on the Hill.

The Lady Hawks got started early with a three-run homer by Keilyn Burns in the first inning.

Avary Stockwell walked in the second as Green Hill added a run.

Jayla Page homered to center field in the third for a 6-0 Lady Hawks lead.

Chloe Younggren hit her 21st home run of the season to center field in the top of the fourth to put the Lady Bears on the board. Kara Hughes followed suit in the fifth.

Green Hill got that back in the bottom half with interest on RBI singles by Alyx Frost and Reagan Walter, a two-run single by Chezney Whipker and a bases-loaded walk to Taylor Watson.

Khloe Marseilles pitched five innings for the win, allowing two runs on four hits and a walk.

Mt. Juliet’s Jewel Hale went 4 2/3 innings, surrendering 11 hits and eight walks.

Burns led the Lady Hawks with three RBIs on two hits. Walter, Frost and Whipker also had two hits each.

Hughes had two hits for the Lady Bears.

Mt. Juliet faced Beech in the loser’s bracket final Wednesday with the winner turning around to face Green Hill for the championship, needing two wins for the title. The “if necessary� game would have been Thursday. The MJ-Beech winner will join Green Hill in the Region 6-4A tournament.