She [Mattie Maxey] is just a sophomore, and she is special.”

Viqueens Head Coach Cam Farrell

UNIONVILLE, Tenn. – The Community Viqueens (8-4, 2-0) came away with a statement win in the first ‘Battle of Bedford’ against Cascade (0-4, 0-1) this season in District 9-AA play, 11-0, on Thursday.

Mattie Maxey walloped two of the Viqueens’ four total home runs, with the second coming in the bottom of the sixth to trigger the run rule. 

“She [Maxey] is really seeing the ball, and I feel like she’s got that fire back in her,” Viqueens’ Head Coach Cam Farrell said postgame, “She had a little bit of a slow start because of her injury from basketball, but she’s back now. She’s just a sophomore, and she’s special. She’s a special kid, she’s a special talent, and she’s also selfless.”

Maxey launched her first home run to right-center field in her very first at-bat following an Alana Tate bunt-single in the bottom of the first to give Community an early 2-0 advantage. Her second was a 3-run dagger to straightaway center. Overall, Maxey went 3-for-5 at the plate with five RBIs. 

Meanwhile, in the circle for the Viqueens, star senior Annie Prince was dominant from the first pitch. Of the 18 outs recorded, the flamethrower struck out 14 batters on 84 pitches, and she did not allow a single Lady Champion to reach base safely.

“She [Annie Prince] managed the game well,” Farrell said about his star pitcher, “She counts ‘em one by one and she’s on it. She’s a good leader. She comes in and she works. That’s the main thing. She’s just a good leader, and when she gets in that circle, she’s a machine. It’s what I love about her, she just locks in completely. She takes coaching, she works with her catcher, and her and her catcher are always talking before the game, they’ll chat after the game to figure out if they need to do anything different. On top of that, she’s a team player. She’s about the team, and she’s about winning.”

After Prince shut down Cascade in the top of the second, Ryleigh Lassiter launched her team-leading third home run of the season on a solo shot to center field. Kamryn Farrell followed that up with a leadoff single, and then Haylee Webb delivered a 2-RBI double to give the hosts a 5-0 lead after two innings.

Cascade’s promising sophomore, Jocelyn Laughlin, got the start in the circle for the visitors. Laughlin pitched well to hold the Viqueens’ vaunted offense at bay in the middle three innings, but she finally ran out of gas in the sixth inning. Community tallied 21 base hits and worked two walks while only striking out twice in Laughlin’s 5.2 innings of work, resulting in 11 earned runs.

After neither team scored in the third or fourth innings, Farrell delivered a leadoff home run to center field to give the Viqueens a 6-0 lead. 

In the bottom of the sixth, Farrell once again delivered at the plate, this time with an RBI-single down the right-field line. Brooklyn Yoes came on to pinch-hit and delivered an RBI-single through the four-hole to reach an 8-0 advantage, and then Maxey sent everyone home with her towering blast to center.

“What I really loved tonight was when I pulled Brooklyn Yoes off the bench, she ripped a ball that scored a run,” said Farrell. “That stands out to me tonight more than the home runs – pull a kid off the bench, she’s ready to go, and she does her job. That helps us as a team, and those are the kinds of things that make me feel like we’re a complete team.”

At the plate for Community, Anna Haskins went 3-for-5, Alana Tate finished 1-for-4, and Maxey went 3-for-5 with five RBIs and two home runs. Haylee Webb batted 3-for-4 with two RBIs, Gracie Daniel went 3-for-4, and Kailani Allen finished 2-for-4. Lassiter went 2-for-4 with an RBI on her home run, Farrell finished 3-for-3 with a walk, two RBIs, and a home run, and Brooklyn Yoes went 1-for-1 with an RBI.

The Viqueens improve to 8-4 overall and 2-0 in District 9-AA. Community heads down to Ft. Walton for spring break, and they are scheduled to play eight games in an extremely competitive environment. It begins on Sunday, Mar. 29 against the Lincoln Lady Lions (OH) at 11:00 a.m.