Heritage among blowout winners in GHSA softball first round

Staff Photo by Doug Strickland/Chattanooga Times Free Press - Gloves lie in a pile in the Lady Trojan Invitational softball tournament Friday, March 29, 2013, in Soddy-Daisy, Tenn.
Staff Photo by Doug Strickland/Chattanooga Times Free Press - Gloves lie in a pile in the Lady Trojan Invitational softball tournament Friday, March 29, 2013, in Soddy-Daisy, Tenn.

RINGGOLD, Ga. - Tuesday night was blowout central for northwest Georgia softball teams as the GHSA postseason began with several first-round series.

Heritage was among the huge winners, rolling past Chestatee 11-0 and 16-0 in a Class AAAA opener. Rachel Gibson earned the wins in both mercy-rule shortened games, striking out 13 in just five innings while pitching a no-hitter in game one and following that up with three innings and six strikeouts in game two.

"They haven't seen many pitchers like Rachel this year," Heritage coach Tanner Moore said. "She has been throwing great the last month or two.

"I think the biggest thing for us was getting out to early leads and keeping that energy. We've done a great job of that the last couple of weeks, but earlier we would get out quickly and kind of went into a lull. I challenge my girls to always stay in the game, focus every inning and try to extend the lead."

The Lady Generals (19-6) pounded out 25 hits in their eight innings of play. Reagan Armour had a triple in each game and finished the night with four hits, five RBIs and five runs scored. Carmen Gayler was 5-for-6, three of the hits doubles, with four RBIs, while Gibson drove in four, two scoring on an inside-the-park home run in game one.

Heritage awaits the winner of the Stephens County/Central-Carroll series, which promises to be much tougher.

"That will be a big-time series either way for us," Moore said. "We are playing well right now, but we have to stay focused because it will only get tougher."

Also in Class AAAA, Marist ended Ridgeland's season with a 12-0, 9-3 sweep in Atlanta.

-In other area playoff openers, Calhoun swept Fannin County in Class AAA, 8-0 and 11-3. Lyndi Rae Davis had a home run in each game and drove in seven runs, and Maggie McBrayer pitched a no-hitter in game one.

Also in AAA, Sonoraville swept North Hall in non-blowout fashion, riding dominant pitching to two 2-0 wins. Kristen Davis pitched an 11-strikeout no-hitter in game one while also getting two of the team's four hits, driving in the first run and stealing home to get the second one. Taylor Long allowed a hit and struck out seven in five innings in game two, with Davis earning the save.

-In Class AA, Dade County won two mercy-rule games at Washington of Atlanta, 19-0 and 12-0. Jasmine Crabtree had six hits, four RBIs and five runs scored, with Michaela Massey adding four hits, five RBIs and four runs scored.

Chattooga was just as dominant, routing Therrell in Summerville, 15-0 and 20-0. Hannah Thrasher had four hits and drove in five runs, with Alex Mitchell adding five hits and three RBIs and Emma Howard knocking in four runs for the Lady Indians.

Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6296. Follow him on Twitter @youngsports22.

Upcoming Events