LaFAYETTE, Ga. - For six innings of Tuesday's key Region 6-AAAA softball game, Ridgeland's Richie Wood was a satisfied coach.
The seventh inning left him a little on the sour side.
Wood's Lady Panthers held on for a 9-7 win at LaFayette - moving into sole possession of second place in the tough league - but the final frame was one Wood has seen more than once. Ridgeland had built leads of 5-0 and 9-3.
"My girls know they can hit and that they can play with anybody," Wood said after the Lady Panthers totaled 11 hits, including five doubles. "When they rallied on us the girls drove back and put us back into a comfortable lead, but we've got to close. That's what we're not doing. I swear I need a defibrillator at the field."
It didn't quite come to that, thanks in large part to three-run first and sixth innings for his team. Senior catcher Kate Davis got things going with a two-run double, and Kiera Foster and Ciera Foster added RBIs in the third and fifth innings, respectively, to push the lead to 5-0.
LaFayette's Samantha Adkins, however, changed the game with one swing, a three-run homer to left field in the bottom of the fifth. Ridgeland (14-4, 7-2) quickly responded, though, with three in the sixth, the big hit a two-run single by Katie Carruth.
"That inning was huge for us," said Davis, who added a leadoff double in the seventh that led to an insurance run. "We never back down as a team and, like tonight, when somebody makes a run at us we respond. But we've got to finish games."
Ridgeland sophomore pitcher Hailey Carroll, who had worked through a couple of tight innings, got into quick trouble in the seventh with a leadoff walk and Megan Wilson's double. Nicky Yancy then hit a grounder to shortstop, but Haley Sandridge elected to throw home instead of getting the sure out at first. Her throw was late, adding to Wood's mounting frustration.
The Lady Ramblers (13-7, 6-3) made it even closer one out later on Ashton Stalling's two-run double and Madison Pettigrew's RBI single. After Wood had a stern meeting in the circle, Carroll got a groundout, though a run scored to bring the tying run to the plate, then retired Shyenne Youngblood on a popup to end the game.
"We have good leadership with four strong seniors, but we have to get tough," Wood said with a wipe of his brow. "This gives us control of our own destiny, but we have to quit giving up so many runs. We're hitting the ball unbelievably, but we're not finishing the games with our pitching."
Sandridge led Ridgeland with three hits, including a pair of doubles, while Laine Hicks matched Davis with two hits. Yancy, Madi Ashley and Railee Lynn had two hits each for LaFayette.
Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6296; follow on Twitter @youngsports22.