KINGSPORT — Dobyns-Bennett pitcher Phoenix Ahles was ready to meet the moment on Friday. Then it had to wait until Monday.
The Lady Indians were only able to complete one inning against West Ridge before inclement weather forced their elimination game to be completed in the new week. The arm was unbothered, tossing a complete-game shutout to beat the Lady Wolves, 2-0.
“I feel like I probably would’ve done better just throwing Friday,†Ahles said. “But it is what it is. I wasn’t going to let us lose.â€
Ahles got the start for Dobyns-Bennett (19-14) on Monday, retiring all three batters she faced before lightning and rain put the win-or-go-home game on pause for nearly 72 hours.
The pitcher came back to the circle and continued her dominance, getting the first seven Lady Wolves (21-12) of the game. Ahles’ run ended in the third, when Caydence Spears hit a one-out single. However, she got a strikeout and a groundout to keep West Ridge off the scoreboard.
Her zero came at a big spot for D-B, as the defending state champions had just posted a pair of runs in the top of the inning.
Hailey Porter roped a one-out single, then moved to third on a sacrifice bunt and error to put herself in prime scoring position for the heart of the order. Three-hole hitter Allie McConnelee wasted no time in plating the leadoff hitter, hitting a sacrifice fly to center.
The Lady Indians tacked on another later in the frame on the second West Ridge error of the inning, allowing Riley McMillan to score from third.
“I thought we did a good job putting a little pressure on the defense,†Lady Indians head coach Andy Hubbard said. “They threw it around a little bit on that bunt, and that helped us a lot.â€
The Lady Wolves still tried to work rallies on Ahles, putting a pair of runners on base in the fourth and again in the fifth. Their fifth-inning threat was their greatest, putting runners at second and third with just one out.
Savannah Pogue appeared to cut the West Ridge deficit in half with a sacrifice fly. However, Ahles and the Tribe defense appealed the play, and it was ruled the runner at third left early, ending the inning with another zero.
“I just listened to my teammates,†Ahles said of the appeal. “I did not look over there just because I was pitching. I just knew to throw it over there and get the out.â€
The junior finished the game strong from there, getting six of the next seven Lady Wolves out to close the game. She ended the day having surrendered three hits and three walks, while also recording seven strikeouts.
West Ridge’s combination of Victoria Browder and Miranda Henley nearly matched goose eggs with Ahles. Browder got the start and, while surrendering both runs, neither of them were earned. She scattered just four hits and walked a pair.
Henley shut down the Lady Indians in her three innings out of the pen, not allowing a baserunner and fanning five.
Porter was the lone hitter on either side with multiple hits. The D-B senior led off the game with a single before being erased by a double play.
NOTE: The District 1-4A semifinal between Daniel Boone and Science Hill has still in extra innings at time of print. Please visit either or for a complete report on the game.
