Science Hill claims District 1-4A title in 'if necessary' game

BLOUNTVILLE — The "if necessary" game was necessary. Mary Kate Lively made sure of it. Lively followed up a home run by Allie McConnelee in the top of the sixth with a long two-run blast of her own, leading Dobyns-Bennett to a 4-3 District 1-4A tournament opening game victory on Tuesday at The Ridge. After falling to Science Hill three times this season by a combined four runs, the Indians were able to overcome a 3-1 deficit in the sixth to set up the "if necessary" game to determine the District 1-4A champion. "Hopefully we can pull through," Lively said. "I think we will have the energy to do it." Instead, Science Hill improved to 4-1 on the season against the Indians, earning a 4-3 championship game victory, the Hilltoppers' fourth 4-3 decision in the tournament held at West Ridge. "It is very exciting for us," Science Hill sophomore and tournament MVP Piper Brewer. "At the beginning of the season we weren't supposed to be here, we weren't supposed to be like the number one seed. It is just really big that we got here and made it." Science Hill (25–8) will host a Region 1-4A semifinal on Monday against the District 2-4A runner-up. "That is exciting," Brewer said. "I like playing at home and it just better when you get to play at home." Dobyns-Bennett (27-10) will travel to face the District 2-4A champion on the same day, with Maryville and William Blount having been the top teams in District 2 this season. "It makes it huge. You don't have to take that trek so Blount County," said Edens, of having that opening round region contest. "We are hoping for a Tri-Cities regional final. We are hoping it is us and them because that means we are both going to substate. We are going to get after each other's tails for seven innings on the field, but at the end of the day, we are rivals who respect each other and rightfully so." Dobyns-Bennett, which won the Class 4A state championship in 2024, took a 2-0 lead in the first inning of the second game on a two-run home run by McConnelee. Science Hill answered with three runs of their own, two on a long home run by Brewer. "It was big, it was really exciting," Brewer said. "It just really helped my team and everyone, it was exciting." A third Science Hill run scored on a single by Annabelle Eanes. "We thought after we lost that first one we are going to find out who you are. We are going to find out if you are a pretender or a contender. They got off the stool, came out of their corner and answered the bell," Edens said. "That was huge for us. Not only evening the score, but we went on and took a one-run advantage. For us that was a shot in the arm that we needed to be in the right frame of mind to go battle." That score didn't change until the bottom of the sixth when Reagan Carroll scored on an error by the Indians, which proved to be the winning run. "That run was huge. Reagan is one of those kids where anytime you get her on base you know if you get in scoring position it won't take much to get her around," Edens said. "That was big for us to get that run in and distance ourselves a little bit." That run was needed when McConnelee's RBI double pushed the Indians to within 4-3 in the top of the seventh. Isabel Meeks started in the circle for Science Hill, was relieved in the fourth by Brewer, and then returned to retire the final two batters of the game for the save, a move Edens had tried earlier in the season with success. "I was ready to go in. I was warming up throughout the whole game," Brewer said. "Isabel did a great, she did good, but I was ready to go in no matter what." McConnelee homered, doubled and drove in three runs for Dobyns-Bennett in the nightcap. Brewer homered, singled and drove in two runs, while Kenzie Cumbow and Carroll also had two hits apiece in the win. "It means a lot to me," said Brewer, on earning MVP honors. "I worked really hard all season and so have my teammates so it just means a lot to me." Lively, who hadn't hit a home run all season, had two in this tournament, both against Science Hill, including a long shot off Isabel Meeks in the sixth in Tuesday's opening game to extend the tournament to the final game. "This is my second one," she said, with a smile. "I just happened to hit them in the tournament." Dobyns-Bennett took a 1-0 first inning lead when Riley McMillan walked and scored on a ground out by Laiken Henson. Science Hill answered with two runs in the bottom of the frame off McConnelee, as Ella Meeks walked and scored on a double by big sister Isabel Meeks. Brewer followed with a double for a 2-1 lead. Isabel Meeks went deep with a solo home run in the third off McConnelee, who held the Hilltoppers down from that point to pick up the win in the circle. "She didn't miss much," said Lively, who had a good view of McConnelee from center field. "Most of the balls they hit was because she hit her slot and they popped up to us. It is hard for them to get a good bat on her because she moves the ball really well." McConnelee hammered a one-out home run over the left field fence in the sixth to pull the Indians within 3-2. Phoenix Ahles followed with a single and Lively drilled a shot well over the center field fence. McConnelee retired the final seven batters she faced in the game. "She has been throwing me little changeups so I was kind of expecting her to throw off-speed, but that was just a fastball," said Lively, who credited McMillan with keeping the Indians confident in a rally against the 'Toppers. "I just wanted to get a base hit for our team. Ailee was leading the way with hers….I think just the adjustment in the box, just seeing her so many times." Ashlynn Chappell had two of Dobyns-Bennett's seven hits in the first game off Isabel Meeks, who took the loss in the circle. Lively drove in two runs, while Henson and McConnelee had an RBI apiece for the Indians. Cumbow, Isabel Meeks and Brewer had two hits apiece for Science Hill in the first game. Isabel Meeks drove in two runs and Brewer added an RBI in the loss. Edens, in his first season as head coach Science Hill, has been pleased with how far the Hilltoppers have come from early season struggles on the diamond. "We talked about the first part of the season, everyone respects you, but nobody thinks that you are going to be able to pull it off again…" Edens said. "Truth be told, we had our struggles, but this is a great group. There are two seniors who have done a great job setting an example for the younger kids to follow. They just stayed on the grind all year and we are here because of them." NOTE: Brewer earned MVP honors, while Science Hill teammates Cumbow, Ella Meeks and Isabel Meeks were selected to the all-tournament team. They were joined by Ahles, McConnelee and Lively from Dobyns-Bennett, along with Nila Horne and Emma Wilson with West Ridge. Kaylynn Milton represented Morristown West on the team.