ATLANTA - The defending GHSA Class AAAA softball champions are still alive.
Northwest Whitfield continued its strong postseason Thursday with a 2-0 win at Marist in the deciding game of a best-of-three second-round series.
The Lady Bruins (20-18) will join five other northwest Georgia teams in Elite Eight competition in Columbus beginning next Thursday.
Senior pitcher BriLeigh Baggett, one of two starters returning from last year's title team, threw a five-hitter and knocked in the game's first run with a double in the first inning. Northwest added another run in the inning when McCall Carlock singled to right field and the Marist outfielder unsuccessfully tried to throw her out at first, allowing pinch-runner Olivia Elrod to score from second.
"That quick start was nice, and we took advantage of them trying to get McCall at first," Northwest coach Jason Brooker said. "BriLeigh then battled through some runners but never gave in."
Marist had runners at third and first bases in the sixth inning with no one out when Baggett struck out the next two batters and got the third on a groundout to end the threat.
"That was pretty big right there," Brooker said. "We played good defense behind BriLeigh as well. Now these seniors get to go to Columbus for the fourth time, which is a record for the program. It's a great accomplishment to go back after losing all those kids from last year."