Heritage rallied late to force extra innings, then used Abbie Young’s homer in a two-run ninth to defeat North Oconee 4-2 in the Class AAAA winners-bracket final Friday night at the GHSA softball state tournament in Columbus.
Heritage (27-2-1), seeking its fourth title after winning three in a row from 2018-20, fell behind 2-1 when North Oconee scored two unearned runs in the third inning. Coach Megan Crawford’s team drew even in the sixth on a wild pitch, but then left the bases loaded against North Oconee ace Maddie Johnson.
Heritage also left a runner at third in the eighth, but Young’s line-drive homer to right field with one out in the ninth gave the Generals the lead, which grew to two on Brylee Pritchett’s RBI single with two outs.
“Coach Regan Armour gave Abbie some hitting advice before her at-bat, and she hit one (to the opposite field), and then Brylee Pritchett had an unbelievable at-bat and roped a single to give us one more run,” a happy Crawford said.
Heritage junior ace Addie Edwards, undaunted by the earlier unearned runs, went all nine innings, allowing one hit and striking out 16 Lady Titans. Pritchett had three hits, and Ella Blansit added a solo homer in the second inning.