Calhoun High School got a good start and held off a late rally by Jackson County to move on Thursday in a Georgia Class AAA softball first-round game three, 12-8.
The host Lady Yellow Jackets (18-13) scored eight runs in the first three innings, including two-run homers from Molly Banks and Kayleigh Warren, to jump on top. They added three runs in the bottom of the sixth on an RBI groundout from Espee Reyes and run-scoring singles from Warren and Emma Rogers to push the lead to 12-8.
The runs were needed as Jackson County put three on the board in the seventh on Sara Beth Allen's homer, but Calhoun pitcher Maggie McBrayer got out of the inning without further damage to secure the win.
Lyndi Rae Davis had four of Calhoun's 16 hits, with Warren getting two hits and driving in three runs, Rogers adding two hits, two RBIs and three runs scored and Erin Barnes and Carlie Henderson contributing two hits each.
Calhoun will travel to Rutland for a second-round best-of-three series next Wednesday.
* Also in Class AAA on Thursday, Sonoraville and Coahulla Creek lost deciding game threes on the road.
Sonoraville fell 5-4 at Jefferson after taking a 2-0 lead into the fourth inning, but four errors, a hit batter and a passed ball led to four runs. The Phoenix (15-11) had two runners on and no one out in the seventh, but Jefferson pitcher Ravyn Saxon retired the next three batters to end the threat and Sonoraville's season. Taylor Long had two RBIs in a losing cause.
Coahulla Creek lost 14-0 at Region 8 champion Franklin County in four innings to end its season at 15-10.
* In Class A private, Christian Heritage advanced to the GHSA second round with a 10-3 win over Holy Innocents'. Tatiana Chiesa pitched a five-hitter with eight strikeouts. MacKenzie Hoffman was 2-for-3 with two RBIs, Mary Kate Humphrey was 3-for-4 with three runs scored and Ansley Adkins had two hits, drove in a run and scored twice for the Lions (13-9).
Christian Heritage will play at George Walton in a second-round series next Wednesday.
Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com or 423-757-6296. Follow him on Twitter @youngsports22.