COLUMBUS, Ga. - Asked to recall the biggest hit of her high school softball career, Gordon Lee's Jordyn Hamill had no answer.
Her third-inning line-drive two-run home run was the difference as the Lady Trojans defeated Georgia Military College, 2-1, in the deciding game of the GHSA Class A public school tournament Saturday. The shot to straight center field was nearly caught, adding to Hamill's excitement.
"It was exciting because I don't ever hit home runs," she tried to recall. "I'm still kind of shocked about it, so I don't know what to say. We were kind of nervous coming into today, but once we got into the championship round we were really confident."
Gordon Lee, having lost 1-0 to GMC late Friday night, had to win three games Saturday, and after a 7-0 win over Seminole County the Lady Trojans had to find a way to solve hard-throwing GMC pitcher Dixie Raley, who shut them out on one hit Friday. They did just enough in a 3-1 win in the first of the two meetings Saturday, with Courtland Middleton and Hamill driving in big runs in a two-run fourth inning.
The deciding game was another pitcher's duel between Raley and Gordon Lee's Emily Armour, and it was Armour who prevailed with a two-hitter after allowing six hits in the first game Saturday with a combined 15 strikeouts. She struck out Sinclair Harding with the potential tying run on second base to end the game and secure the title.
The championship is the fourth consecutive for the program and sixth overall for coach Dana Mull, who guided the team through a similar path last year to beat GMC.
"Haven beaten them twice last year, we didn't come into today without confidence," she said. "We saw last night that one hit could make the difference, and it was the same thing today. We knew this was going to be tough. The girls really came through, though."
Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6296.