Milligan walk off finishes off Lady Bobcats

Anthony S. Puca Sports Editor
Posted 5/7/21

The Forrest Lady Rockets pulled all the tools out of the toolbox Friday night at the Field of Dreams in Chapel Hill as they expertly dismantled Giles County 10-0 in five innings to advance to the District 12-AA District Tournament winner’s bracket showdown versus Nolensville at home Monday night.

Ashley Milligan was a jack of all trades as picked up a three-hit shutout win in the circle, laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt in a five-run fourth inning, and belted a walk off solo home run to end the game.

“I was just hoping I would get one through the infield, but in the back of my mind I was thinking a walk off would be pretty cool,” Milligan said. “It feels good to beat Giles County, they are a scrappy team.”

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Milligan walk off finishes off Lady Bobcats

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The Forrest Lady Rockets pulled all the tools out of the toolbox Friday night at the Field of Dreams in Chapel Hill as they expertly dismantled Giles County 10-0 in five innings to advance to the District 12-AA District Tournament winner’s bracket showdown versus Nolensville at home Monday night.

Ashley Milligan was a jack of all trades as picked up a three-hit shutout win in the circle, laid down a perfect sacrifice bunt in a five-run fourth inning, and belted a walk off solo home run to end the game.

“I was just hoping I would get one through the infield, but in the back of my mind I was thinking a walk off would be pretty cool,” Milligan said. “It feels good to beat Giles County, they are a scrappy team.”

Milligan didn’t have her best stuff in the circle, striking out just three Lady Bobcats’ batters, but she persevered as the defending Class 2A state champions improved to 22-3-1 on the season.

“I feel like they have gotten on me, they are a good hitting team,” Milligan said. “My speed was there, but the spin wasn’t, so I mean sometimes it’s expected, but I have such a good ‘D’ behind.”

After Milligan set down the Lady Bobcats in order in the top of the first inning, Jenna Blanton electrified the huge crowd as she drilled a two-strike pitch down the left line and raced around the bases for a standup inside the park home run.

All three of Giles County’s hits off Milligan came in the top of the second inning as Jada Gardner, Kylie Hendricks, and Marie Bodily all singled to load the bases with no outs.

Melia Roberts hit a mid-range fly ball, but Giles County was unwilling to test Macyn Kirby’s arm in center field and all the runners remained in position for Abby White, who drilled a one-hopper to Karley Daughrity at third base, who fired to catcher Parker Wales for the force out at home.

Wales stepped on the plate and fired back to an alert Daughrity, who was on the bag and made the catch in traffic for the rare 5-2-5 inning-ending double play.

Forrest scored a pair of runs with two outs in the bottom of the third inning as Blanton laid down a perfect bunt for a single and Daughrity followed with an RBI double to center field.

“My only goal tonight was to get runs in,” Daughrity said. “I was just watching outside and I knew she may come inside some too.”

Laura Mealer made it a 3-0 contest when she roped an RBI single to left that plated Daughrity.

Milligan held the Lady Bobcats in check in the top of the fourth inning before the Lady Rockets busted the game wide open in the home half of the stanza.

Kirby led off with an infield slap single and Katelyn Helmick followed with a perfect bunt and was safe at first on a Giles County error.

Milligan moved both runners up with a sac bunt and Briley Burnham walked to load the sacks.

Carli Warner came up as a pinch hitter and delivered an RBI sacrifice fly to center field to make it 4-0.

For the second game in a row, Blanton executed a perfect two-out, bunt single that loaded the bases for Karley Daughrity, who promptly cleared them up with a three-run double to make it 7-0 and Mealer followed with an RBI base it to put the Lady Rockets in the driver’s seat.

Milligan set down Giles County 1-2-3 in the top of the fifth inning, setting the stage for the win as Kirby led off with a fly ball that misplayed in left field and she ended up on third base and scored on an RBI fielder’s choice by Helmick before Milligan crushed the walk homer over the left field fence.

Forrest’s only district loss since 2016 came at the hands of Nolensville on April 2.

“I feel like the first game we weren’t really prepared for them and then second game we worked hard and got prepared for their pitching because we have never really seen that fast pitching in our district before, but after we worked on it, we were good,” Daughrity said.

The Lady Rockets avenged that setback with a 2-1 win at Chapel Hill on April 27 as part of their current 13-game winning streak.

“We knew that we would face them (Nolensville) tomorrow and face them in the championship game,” Milligan said. “I will only be happy that this is about to end if we win the next nine games in a row, I want 2019 and 21.”

Giles County 000 00-0 3 2

Forrest 102 52-10 9 0

Giles County: Jada Gardner 1-for-1, Kylie Hendricks 1-for-2, Marie Bodily 1-for-2.

FC: Hendricks.

HBP: Gardner.

GIDP: Alley Fletcher.

E: Hope Murphy, Melia Roberts.

LP: Madison Pickett (4.1IP, 9H, 10R, 4ER, 1K, 1BB).

Forrest: Jenna Blanton 3-for-3, Karley Daughrity 2-for-3, Laura Mealer 2-for-3, Macyn Kirby 1-for-3, Ashley Milligan 1-for-2.

BB: Briley Burnham.

RS: Blanton 3, Karley Daughrity 2, Kirby 2, Katelyn Helmick, Milligan, Burnham.

2B: Karley Daughrity 2, Mealer.

HR: Blanton, Milligan.

RBI: Karley Daughrity 4, Mealer 2, Blanton, Helmick, Milligan, Warner.

SAC: Helmick, Milligan.

SF: Warner.

ROE: Helmick, Kirby.

SB: Mealer.

Team LOB: 2

WP: Ashley Milligan (5IP, 3H, 0R, 0ER, 3K, 0BB).