Southaven, MS (July 9, 2023) Two Ooltewah Youth Association (OYA) all-star teams advanced to the semi-finals in their respective age groups at the Dizzy Dean Softball World Series in Southaven, Mississippi.

The 6u Lady Owls Elite sit one game away from playing in the championship after a 10-4 victory over the Southaven, MS All-stars. The Lady Owls were led on defense by Charley Phillips, who turned a line drive into a double play. Right fielder Faith Flanagan also gunned down a runner at 3rd base. The Lady Owls play 31 North at 10:00 a.m. with the winner moving on to the championship.

The 8u Unicorns Elite punched their ticket to the semi-finals with a come from behind, nailbiter victory over Cleveland, the Mississippi State North Champions. The Unicorns gave up five runs in the first inning, but their defense settled down and put up zeros over the next five innings.

Allison Sherbesman got the Unicorns on the board with a RBI single in the 4th inning. Then, in the 5th, the Unicorns exploded for five runs to take a 6-5 lead. That would be the final score after amazing outfield catches by Kolbi Davis and Emery Harp, along with a perfect performance in the circle by Findlay Howard.

The Unicorns play Greenwood, the Mississippi State South Champions, Sunday at 11:30 a.m., with the winner moving on to the championship at 2:30 p.m. 

OYA’s 10u team, the LunaChicks Extreme, came up short in their match-up against Grenada, Mississippi. Despite the setback, the LunaChicks can still advance to the championship, with two wins on Sunday. The 10u Ooltewah team will first face off against the East Ridge, Tennessee All-stars at noon, with the winner advancing to the semi-finals.