By Staff Reports

 

ELLAVILLE – The Lady Wildcats fell behind early to the Red Devils of Hawkinsville and couldn’t come back as they lost 4-2 on Tuesday, September 25, at Schley County High School.

With the win, Hawkinsville improves to 17-4 overall and 9-2 in Region 4-1A play. They are currently in second place behind the first-place team, Marion County (17-3, 11-1).

As for the Lady Wildcats, they fall to 13-5 overall and 6-2 in Region 4-1A play. They are currently in third place in the region standings.

The Red Devils took an early lead in the top of the first inning. Ashanti Edwards led off the game with a double. Then Sam Lancaster hit into a fielder’s choice, advancing Edwards to third. After Nadia Sloan popped out to third baseman Perri DeVane for the second out, Kristen Wolters singled home Edwards to give Hawkinsville an early 1-0 lead.

The Red Devils added two more runs in the top of the third inning. Edwards was hit by a pitch by Schley County pitcher Saige Whaley. After Edwards stole second, Lancaster hit into a fielder’s choice, advancing Edwards to third. Edwards then scored on a passed ball, which also allowed Lancaster to advance to second. Nadia Sloan then hit a ground-ball single to left fielder Nyiah Kelley, advancing Lancaster to third. Kristen Wolters then hit a sacrifice fly, scoring Lancaster to give Hawkinsville a 3-0 lead.

However, the Lady Wildcats fought back in their half of the third. Landry Whaley reached on an error by Lancaster. Whaley was able to advance to second base on the error. Tamia Kelley then hit into a fielder’s choice, advancing Kelli Rees to third. Rees was brought in as a courtesy runner to run for Whaley.

After Alexis Bradshaw popped out to the catcher for the second out, Carmen Phillips drilled an RBI single, scoring Rees to cut the Red Devils’ lead to 3-1. In the bottom of the fourth, Schley County got to within one of Hawkinsville. With one out, Saige Whaley belted a home run over the center field fence to make the score 3-2 Hawkinsville.

Unfortunately for the Lady Wildcats, that would be all the runs they would score in the game. In the top of the sixth inning, the Red Devils added an insurance run when Bailey McLeod homered over the center field fence, making the final score 4-2 Hawkinsville.

The Red Devils had strong pitching from starter Danielle Powers. Powers pitched the entire game, allowing two runs on five hits. She didn’t walk a batter and struck out two. Ashanti Edwards led the offensive attack for the Red Devils. Edwards went 2-for-3 at the plate and scored two runs.

For Schley County, they were led offensively by shortstop Carmen Phillips. Phillips went 2-for-3 and drove in an RBI. Saige Whaley went 1-for-3 at the plate with the solo home run in the bottom of the fourth.

Whaley pitched the entire game as well for Schley County. She gave up four runs on five hits. Three of those runs were earned. She walked two batters and struck out four.

In total, Hawkinsville scored four runs on five hits and committed two errors. Schley County scored two runs on five hits and also committed two errors.

The Lady Wildcats will try to gain ground in the region standings when they travel to Buena Vista, GA to take on the top team in Region 4-1A, Marion County, on Thursday, September 27. First pitch is scheduled for 5 p.m. The last time the two teams met in Ellaville, Marion County came out on top 4-2 on Tuesday, August 28.