WCHS faces Walnut Grove in Round 1
Ware County headed into the Monday’s Class 4A state tournament first round riding a four-game winning streak which included season-ending victories at Tattnall County and at home against 10th-ranked Coffee.
The Lady Gators (10-18) beat Class 2A Tattnall County (2-17) 16-7 Tuesday, October 7 in Reidsville handing the Lady Warriors a 10th consecutive loss. They followed with a 4-2 win Wednesday, October 8 over the Lady Trojans (19-7), losers in two of their final three games. Coffee won the first meeting 11-3 at home August 6 in the season opener for both teams.
Ware County, the Region 1 third seed, traveled Monday, October 13 to face Region 8 runner-up Walnut Grove (11-13) in a best-of-three series to start the Class 4A state tournament. An “if” game was scheduled for Tuesday, October 14.
The series winner advances to face the winner of Region 7 fourth-seed Cass (188) and Region 4 champion Pace Academy (11-9). The second round begins Monday, October 20 with “if” games slated for Tuesday, October 21.
In other Region 1 vs. Region 8 matchups, champion Wayne County (196) hosted fourth-seed Flowery Branch (12-16), region runner-up Perry (7-12) hosted third-seed Madison County (1216) and fourth-seed Warner Robins (1017) visits No. 1 ranked and region champion Eastside (24-0), one of three unbeaten teams across the state in all classifications.
Lady Gators ...............................16 Tattnall County ...........................7
REIDSVILLE — Ware County scored 12 runs in the top of the sixth inning overcoming 7-4 deficit to beat the Lady Warriors.
A one-out, bases loaded walk to Darah Durrance forced home what proved to be the winning run giving the Lady Gators an 8-7 advantage. Ware County continued to pull away scoring eight more runs before the final out was recorded.
The Lady Gators sent 16 batters, seven batting twice, to the plate during the explosion. They banged nine hits (four singles, five doubles), had three batters walk and another reached on an error. Only two batters didn’t record a hit, but all nine reached at least once and eight were credited with at least one RBI.
Both Teriayn Kirkland (2-for-3) and Mattie Forsyth (3-for-5) collected two hits apiece in the inning. Kirkland laced a pair of doubles driving in four runs with Forsyth producing two singles and driving home a run.
Ella Musgrove (2-for-3), Ashlyn Jacobs (1-for-5) and Kirkland kick-started the uprising with three consecutive doubles with Jacobs and Kirkland driving in a run apiece cutting Tattnall County’s lead to 7-6. A one-out bloop single by Kallie Larisey (3-for-5) and an infield single by Forsyth loaded the bases.
Seven consecutive batters followed driving home at least one run. Kara Coleman’s (1-for-3) infield single tied the score at 7-apiece with Durrance’s walk giving Ware County its first lead at 8-7. Walks to Cassidy Lee and Musgrove forced home runs for a 10-7 advantage.
An error on a ball hit by Jacobs scored one followed by Kirkland’s bases clearing double for a 14-7 lead. A run-scoring double by Amberley Padgett (2-for-5) and a two-out, RBI single by Forsyth finished off the inning.
The Lady Warriors scored single runs in the first and second innings adding two runs in the third against Kayleigh LeMay (3 IP, 4 R, 2 ER, 1K, 0 BB) in building a 4-0 lead.
Ware County scored twice in the top of the fourth slicing the deficit in half to 4-2. After Lairsey and Forsyth laced consecutive one-out singles, Coleman’s fly ball to left was turned into a two-base error scoring Maggie McQuaig, courtesy running for Lairsey. A two-out walk to Lee extending the inning was followed by a five-pitch walk to Musgrove forcing home the second run.
Tattnall County responded with two runs in the bottom of the inning against Forsyth (1 IP, 2 H, 2 R, 2 ER, 0 K, 1 BB, 1 HBP) pushing the margin to 6-2.
The visitors came right back with two runs in the top of the fifth climbing to within 6-4. Kirkland was hit to start the frame, advanced to second on a passed ball and moved to third on a single by Padgett. Lairsey blooped the next offering for a run-scoring single for a 6-3 deficit. Durrance lifted a one-out sacrifice fly to center following a walk to Coleman loading the bases.
The Lady Warriors chased home a final run in the bottom of the inning against Kirkland (2 IP, 1 H, 1 R, 1 ER, 3 K, 1 BB) to take a 7-4 lead to the sixth. She retired Tattnall County 1-2-3 in the bottom of the sixth to end the game.
Lady Gators....................................................4 No. 10 Coffee ..................................................2
Ware County picked up its biggest win of the season riding the three-hit, eight-strikeout pitching performance of Kirkland.
The right-hander needed 92 pitches to complete what she started. One of the two runs she was charged with was earned. She walked two.
The Lady Gators scratched out a run in the second inning in a game they would not trail. Coleman (3-for-3) legged out a two-out infield hit. She scored from first when Addi Pittman’s ensuing grounder was booted for a 1-0 lead.
Ware County advanced the lead to 3-0 in the third inning. Musgrove was hit by the first pitch and raced around the bases scoring on Jacobs’ (2-for-3) double. Kirkland (1-for-3) followed with a run-scoring single before the first out was recorded.
The Lady Gators scored their final run in the bottom of the fourth. Coleman lined a leadoff double and moved over to third when Pittman reached on an error. Musgrove’s one-out grounder to first plated Coleman for a 4-0 advantage.
Coffee got a two-out, solo homer in the sixth closing the deficit to 4-1. The Lady Trojans scored once in the seventh on a sacrifice fly.
