COLUMBUS, Ga. — Their first experience in Georgia’s softball Elite Eight couldn’t have started any worse for the Fannin County Lady Rebels, and even though they were eliminated from the Class AA bracket Friday, they had a far better feeling exiting the South Commons Complex on Friday than on Thursday.
Fannin committed five errors in the first two innings of Thursday’s opening 5-0 loss to Pike County, but the Lady Rebels rebounded Friday morning to eliminate Bleckley County, 3-0, before having their season end in a 4-3 loss to Blessed Trinity, which then eliminated Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe.
“After the way we played yesterday, making five errors in the first two innings, most kids would have shut down,” said Fannin coach David Dyer, whose team turned five double plays Friday. “We regrouped and beat a pretty good ballclub this morning; then we had this team down twice but couldn’t hold it.
“I’m proud of my kids. This is a big change from what they’re used to in Blue Ridge as far as atmosphere, and they did a good job today of adjusting.”
The Lady Rebels (26-16) held 2-1 and 3-2 leads, the latter on Natalie McLaughlin’s fourth-inning homer, but the Lady Titans (27-15) rallied each time, eventually winning on Aileen Pollitzer’s bases-loaded single in the seventh.