If there was a moment this week that Richie Wood's softball team felt a sense of looming doom, it came and went quickly. After his Ridgeland Lady Panthers lost 2-1 in the first game of their best-of-three Region 7-AAAA playoff series with Cartersville on Monday, they won the last two in big fashion.
Tuesday's 8-0 six-inning win after Monday's 10-3 second-game victory advanced the Lady Panthers (16-11) to the region semifinals against Gilmer County. More importantly, it secures a spot in next week's state tournament field.
"They wanted it bad," said Wood, who took Ridgeland to the playoffs in his first season two years ago. "They were mad they didn't complete the first game yesterday. They played well in the second game and brought that same game today."
A five-run first inning and Morgan Crawford's dominant pitching proved too much for the visitors to overcome. Haley Sandidge and Emma Arthur had three hits each, including run-scoring singles in the opening eruption.
"The quick start was big because once we got the big lead they seemed to shut down," said Arthur, who drove in two runs with her first hit. "We had a team meeting after losing the first game yesterday, and we all felt we could play better and tonight we did."
Crawford, who capped the first inning with a two-run single to the fence, sat down the first eight batters before an infield single, then faced the minimum over the final three innings. The Lady Panthers gave her insurance with a pair of runs in the third, one scoring on Katie Carruth's single, and Arthur ended the game in the sixth with her third hit, scoring Sandidge with two out.
The senior was surprised when her team started walking off the field after her hit ended the game early via the mercy rule.
"I saw that and thought, 'Oh my gosh, we're going to the state again,'" Arthur said. "It feels really good to come out here tonight and prove what we're made of and earn a state playoff berth."
Ridgeland and Gilmer will decide one finalist in a best-of-three set in Ellijay beginning with today's doubleheader, while Northwest Whitfield travels to top-seeded Heritage in the other semifinal, which also starts today. The two winners will play a one-game championship either Friday or Saturday.
Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6296; follow at Twitter @youngsports22.