Adjustments at this time of the season are often the difference between getting close and winning region and possibly state championships in softball.
Thursday night in Carroll County, Heritage's Carmen Gayler made the right move at the right time, and it likely will lead to another region title for the program.
Gayler's three-run home run in the first inning helped lift the Generals (19-5, 13-1 Region 7-AAA) to a 3-1 win at Central-Carroll in the rubber game of what was most likely the region-title-deciding series. Heritage (19-5, 13-1 Region 7-AAAA), which has won the past two AAAA state titles, now has basically a three-game lead over the Lady Lions (16-6, 11-3) with four region games remaining.
"It's a great win. Carmen hit a big three-run homer in the first inning that lifted a burden off us a little bit from splitting yesterday," Heritage coach Tanner Moore said. "If they felt pressure, they didn't show it today. They came out real loose and had some fun.
"Carmen has been struggling lately, but she's worked through it. It's a game of failure, and the ones who respond positively from it are the ones who succeed. The changeup that was fooling her yesterday was hung, and she hit it opposite field for the homer."
From there, ace Rachel Gibson did the rest. The two-time Scrappy Moore Female Athlete of the Year finalist allowed two hits while striking out 12 batters and walking one. She had to work out of a big jam in the seventh to seal the win after a single, a walk and an error led to one run and put the tying runs in scoring position.
Gibson, though, recorded a strikeout and got the final batter to fly out.
"Rachel was great," Moore said. "You can see she's getting that playoff mentality and she's starting to get really locked in."
Staff file photo by Robin Rudd / Heritage pitcher Rachel Gibson worked out of late trouble to seal a 3-1 win Thursday night at Central-Carrroll in GHSA Region 7-AAAA softball.Sonoraville 3, Adairsville 1: The Lady Phoenix (11-5, 11-2 Region 6-AAA) maintained a two-game lead in the league standings with the eight-inning win. Kelly Green drove in a run in the final inning with a sacrifice fly and also hit a homer. Taylor Long allowed two hits and no earned runs while striking out 17 and also added three hits and an RBI in the eighth inning.
Coahulla Creek 4, Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe 0: The Lady Colts (18-4, 10-4) remained tied for second place in 6-AAA as Sophia Voyles silenced the LFO bats on one hit with seven strikeouts. Jillian and Tatum Poe combined for four hits, two RBIs and three runs scored.
Ringgold 11, Murray County 0: The Lady Tigers (15-8, 11-4) kept pace in 6-AAA for a possible spot in the region title series as Caroline Hemphill was 3-for-3 with four RBIs and Jade Gainer 3-for-4 with two runs. Riley Nayadley and Alyissa Sue each had two of Ringgold's 15 hits.
Rockmart 5, LaFayette 2: Rockmart (14-6, 9-4) also stayed in contention for a top-two finish in 6-AAA as Sam Wolfe drove in three runs and Emilee Register pitched 3 2/3 innings of scoreless relief to earn the win. Summer Burkett drove in a run for LaFayette.
Dade County 3, Chattooga 2: Kristen Fowler drove in the winning run on an eighth-inning single, part of her 3-for-4 night that included a homer. Emma Heard had two hits and Kami Counts drove in a run for Dade (11-3-1, 5-0 in 7-AA). Ciara Wyatt was 2-for-3 with an RBI for Chattooga (7-3, 1-2).
Gordon Lee 18, Drew Charter 0: The Lady Trojans (21-3, 8-0 in 6-A public) rolled as Sidney Garrett pitched a three-inning perfect game with six strikeouts and Jordan Dyer hit a grand slam. Anniston Hudson and Ashlyn Schmidt each had two hits, two RBIs and two runs scored.
Trion 5, Bowdon 0: Ransley Lawrence pitched a two-hitter with five strikeouts, while Chloe Murdock was 2-for-2 with two RBIs and two runs scored and Bailey Smith had two hits and two RBIs for the Lady Bulldogs (8-6, 4-2 in 6-A public).
Ridgeland 7, Southeast Whitfield 5: The Lady Panthers completed a three-game sweep of the Lady Raiders as Marianne Beliveau and Anna Jenkins had three hits, an RBI and run scored apiece and Maggie Dickson was 2-for-4 with three RBIs. Ridgeland won 5-4 and 3-0 on Wednesday.
FOOTBALL
The North Murray at Coahulla Creek game scheduled for tonight has been postponed due to positive COVID-19 tests at Coahulla Creek.
Colts coach Danny Wilson confirmed two players tested positive in the past two weeks, enough for the Whitfield County Health Department to consider it a "cluster."
"They thought it would be precautious to shut us down until all our players were tested," Wilson said. "Our guys have already started doing that, though most are going Friday. Hopefully we will all be negative and can get back to it."
The schools are working with the GHSA on a makeup date - possibly Tuesday, Oct. 20 - for the Region 6-AAA game.
SOCCER
Bradley Central 3, Polk County 2: Gabby Peacock scored the winning goal in the 76th minute on an assist by Haley Esquinance, who helped fuel a second-half comeback with a tying goal in the 51st minute. Both teams had eight shots in the first half, but the Bearettes dominated the final 40 minutes with a 7-1 shot advantage.
Grace Academy 3, Arts & Sciences 0: Senior standout McKinley Tyson scored twice as the Lady Golden Eagles closed their regular season at home with a decisive victory. Grace was also led by seniors Olivia Bosco, Abigail Corcoran, Victoria Hill and Belle Mahan, who made four saves.
VOLLEYBALL
Notre Dame 3, East Hamilton 1: The Lady Fighting Irish (23-4) celebrated on senior night, winning 14-25, 25-17, 25-18, 25-18. McKenna Brown had 20 kills and 15 digs, Mary Fillauer added 32 assists and Riley McCormick totaled 16 digs and four aces, while Lindsay Burns (15 digs, three aces) and Peyton Woody (five kills) also contributed. East Hamilton was led by Amya Sutton (11 digs, 10 kills, three aces, two blocks), Tristin Sutton (19 assists, 12 digs), McKenna Hayes (6 kills, three blocks) and Meg Lewis (three aces).
Sequatchie County 3, Bledsoe County 0: The Lady Indians (13-3) wrapped up the regular season by winning at home, 25-17, 25-13, 25-16. Sarah Brown and Cali Green had a combined 16 kills for Sequatchie, and Megan Hall (12 digs) and Chloe Griffith (eight assists) also stepped up.
Dade County 2, Fannin County 0: Dade's Delaynee Davis (19 digs) and Alleigh Daniels (11 digs) helped lead the way to Wednesday's 25-19, 25-17 win. Bailey Davis and Logan Frint added four kills apiece, and other top contributors for the Lady Wolverines were Zoie Smith (eight assists), Heidi Raines (three aces) and Freedom Cole (nine digs).
GOLF
Baylor defeated GPS in match play 6-0 at Black Creek Club on Wednesday with Emerson Hogue, Reese Hullander, Mattie Nall, Elle Rastvortseva, Kelsi Reeves, Kyndall Shamblin and Stephanie Xian in the lineup for the Lady Red Raiders.
Contact Patrick MacCoon at pmaccoon@timesfreepress.com and follow him on Twitter @PMacCoon. Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com and follow him on Twitter @youngsports22.