Lady Warriors score six runs in the third inning to defeat Southland Academy

Published 2:32 pm Monday, August 13, 2018

By Staff Reports

 

AMERICUS – The Southland Lady Raiders played much better against Southwest Georgia Academy on Saturday, August 11, in Game 1 of the round-robin day of play at the Georgia Southwestern State University softball complex. However, a six-run explosion by SGA in the third inning led to the Lady Warriors defeating the Lady Raiders for the second time in four days. This time, Southland fell 11-6.

On Tuesday, August 7, Southland Academy fell to the Lady Warriors 9-1 in an error-plagued game.

SGA scored three runs in the top of the first, but the Lady Raiders responded with four runs in the bottom of the inning. Alli Dent led off with a single and advanced to second on an error by the SGA left fielder. Holly McCain hit into a fielder’s choice, advancing Dent to third. Sara Beth Storey got an RBI-single to put Southland on the board. Storey then advanced to second on an error. Brookland Weaver then singled, advancing Storey to third. Reese Roland drove in Storey on an RBI-single. Weaver advanced to second on the play. After Katie Rogers drew a walk, the Lady Raiders had the bases loaded with one out. Morgan Minick struck out, but Abby Lightner drove in Roland on an RBI-single to tie the game at 3-3. Weaver then scored on a wild pitch to give Southland a 4-3 lead. Hannah Mitchell struck out to end the inning, but the Lady Raiders had taken the lead.

The Lady Warriors responded with two runs in the top of the second to retake the lead at 5-4. However, Southland responded with a run in their half of the second to tie the game at 5-5. However, the Lady Warriors exploded for six runs in the top of the third inning. This proved to be the pivotal point in the game. At this point, Sara Beth Storey was pitching for Southland. She walked the SGA lead-off batter, Kate Hathaway. This was followed by four SGA hits, two more walks and a hit batsman, resulting in six runs being scored.

Things started out well for Southland in their half of the third. The Lady Raiders got two runners on base a s a result of TJ Bowden and Abby Lightner drawing walks off of SGA starting pitcher Caroline Harper. Unfortunately, Hannah Mitchell struck out and Alli Dent flew out. Holly McCain drew another walk, loading the bases for Sara Beth Storey. Storey responded by belting an RBI-single to left field, driving in Bowden. However, Alli Dent was tagged out at third base for the third out of the inning. Bowden’s run would be the last run Southland would score in the game. Neither team could score in the fourth and fifth innings, and the game ended due to a time limit with SGA winning 11-6.

Sara Beth Storey had an excellent game at the plate. She went 3-for-3, drove in three runs and scored a run. Holly McCain went 1-for-2 and scored a run. Reese Roland went 1-for-2 at the plate, driving in a run and scoring a run. Sara Beth Storey started on the mound for Southland. It was a tough outing. She pitched three innings and allowed 10 runs on seven hits. All 10 of those runs were earned. She walked six and struck out none. Storey was relieved by Alli Dent. Dent pitched two innings. She gave up no runs or hits. She walked three and struck out none.

SGA’s Kamryn Carver led the offensive attack for the Lady Warriors. Carver went 2-for-2 with an RBI and scored three runs. SGA starter Caroline Harper pitched the entire game. She gave up six runs on eight hits. She walked four and struck out three.