By MICHAEL MURRAY

ELLAVILLE – The Schley County Lady Wildcats softball team has gotten off to a strong start in their 2017 campaign, jumping to 3-1 after two weeks of competition.
The Schley squad, under the leadership of third-year head coach, Jody Sellars, are currently 1-1 in Region 4-A.
The Lady ‘Cats kicked off the season in a tilt against the Emmanuel County Institute Lady Bulldogs on Aug. 7 at Middle Georgia State University’s facility. The Schley squad earned a 9-4 victory in their season curtain-raiser.

According to reports, the Lady Wildcats jumped out early, plating five runners in the bottom of the second frame. The Lady Bulldogs answered with a trio of runs of their own in the top of the fourth, but the Lady ‘Cats’ determined defense quickly stopped the bleeding, sending Schley back into the dugout.
The Ellaville crew added three more insurance runs in the bottom of the fifth to put the game out of reach and added one more for good measure in the bottom of the sixth.
Schley’s Saylor Ann Cross led the team’s batters, connecting on two pitches. Carmen Phillips contributed a pair of RBIs to the Schley cause.
Schley’s Laine Frazier worked the pitcher’s circle for the Lady ‘Cats, tossing all seven innings. Frazier sent three batters back to the dugout.
The following afternoon, the Lady Wildcats brought the action to their home field, hosting region oppoonents, the Crawford County Lady Eagles, at Lady Wildcat field in Ellaville. In a heated tilt, the Lady ‘Cats kept their local fans cheering as they earned their second “W” of the season, 12-7 over their guests.
The Lady Wildcats took an early lead in their second contest of the season, putting four runs on the board in the bottom of the second stanza and adding another in the bottom of the third. The Lady Eagles made their comeback run in the top of the fourth, adding five runs of their own.
Schley answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame to retake the lead and added three more in the bottom of the fifth to p0ut the hosts ahead for good.

Crawford added two more in the top of the sixth to narrow the gap, but the Lady Wildcats neutralized the threat with two more runners crossing the plate in the bottom of the stanza, earning the hosts the five-point victory.
Mindy Carol Register led the Lady ‘Cats from the plate in this contest, scattering three hits. Perri DeVane and Emily Campbell each batted in a pair of runners.
Saige Whaley and Frazier split hurling duties in the game, with Whaley dispatching three batters and Frazier fanning two.
On Aug. 10, the Schley squad hosted their second Region 4-A opponent of the year, the Brookstone Lady Cougars.
Despite taking an early lead in the tilt, the Lady Wildcats succumbed to a late Brookstone rally, suffering a 4-3 defeat.
Schley plated one runner on the bottom of the first before the Lady Cougars tossed a run on the board in the top of the third to even the score.
Brookstone added three more runs to their tally in the top of the fifth and held the Lady Wildcats to only one in the bottom of the same inning. The Lady ‘Cats looked to get a rally going in the bottom of the seventh, but were only able to score one more before a determined Lady Cougar defense put the game away.
Phillips collected a trio of hits for the Schley cause in the match-up and Register added one RBI.
Frazier pitched all seven innings, putting away one Brookstone batter.
The Schley squad began to turn their luck around on Aug. 14, taking an early 4-1 lead over the First Presbyterian Day School Lady Vikings. The game was postponed after the top of the first inning, however.
The Lady ‘Cats rode this momentum into a home tilt on Aug. 16 against the Bleckley County Lady Royals. The Schley girls won the non-region tilt in an 8-0, five-inning shutout.
The Lady Wildcats plated two runners in the first, one in the second, four in the fourth, and one in the fifth, all the while utilizing their defensive skills to keep the visitors off the board.
Alexis Bradshaw led the pack with three hits in the match, followed closely by Whaley and Frazier, who each contributed two.

Bradshaw and Kelli Rees each brought in a pair of runners and Whaley added one RBI. Whaley tossed all five innings of the match, putting away five prospective Bleckley batters.
The Lady Wildcats will put their record on the line again on Aug. 21, hosting the Perry High School Panthers in Ellaville. The Schley girls will resume Region 4-A competition on Aug. 22 when they hit the road for Manchester to take on the Manchester High Lady Blue Devils.