When Central's Lady Purple Pounders scored a run in their first at-bat in Wednesday night's Region 3-AA softball championship game, it may as well have been a walk-off homer.
They went on to score two more for a 3-0 victory over visiting Sweetwater, but most of the time - and especially since the playoffs began last week - all Central (27-9) usually has needed is a way to scratch across one run.
Senior pitcher Brooke Parrott (25-8) was her usual brilliant self against a Lady Wildcats team that had averaged nine runs a game coming in, striking out 15 and allowing just three hits. It was Parrott's sixth straight shutout and her 22nd of the season.
She has given up just six hits since the postseason began and has struck out 18, 18, 16 and now 15 in the four games.
"Let's just say it was a little easier to breathe once we got that one run," Central coach LeeAnn Shurette said.
It was the first time this season Sweetwater (17-10) had been held scoreless. Central will host Macon County in a state sectional tonight at 7 (moved up from Friday), and Sweetwater will travel Friday to DeKalb County for a chance to advance to the state tournament.
For the Lady Pounders it is a fourth straight region title, and Parrott has been in the circle in each of them.
"Four years in a row," she beamed as she walked off the field. "I was a little nervous my freshman year but now I just get mad, especially when the other team gets a runner on base. It just feels good to get ourselves in the position to get back to state. That's been our goal since the season began."
Sweetwater had a few chances thanks to four Central errors and a walk, to go along with the three base knocks, but Parrott shut the door each time.
"She is by far the best pitcher we have seen this year," Sweetwater coach Sarah Davies said. "She was just dominating, and you have to tip your hat to it. I should have done a better job this year finding us a team (to face) with that kind of pitcher, so that's my fault. I'm not sure how many out there are like her, though."
Central scored in the first after Kerri Sylvester's swinging bunt and a wild pitch put her on second in front of Mikayla Gill's RBI blooper just over the shortstop. Sylvester doubled in a run in the third and later scored on a throwing error to pretty much seal the deal.
"The runs were a nice cushion and Brooke hit her spot on just about every pitch," said Sylvester, who had three of Central's seven hits and was robbed of another one by a diving catch from center fielder Alex Thompson that saved a run.
"Our girls have been focused the last couple of weeks," Shurette said. "We felt like we let it slip away from us last year, and our girls expect nothing less than getting back to the state. We had a few miscues, but that's the luxury of having Brooke on the mound when you need the strikeout."
Gill added two hits for Central, and Parrott and Amanda Roy each had one off tough-luck loser Andie Lowe. Hana Robbins had two of Sweetwater's three hits and Emily Barnes had the other.
Contact James Beach at sports@timesfreepress.com.