Thursday's GHSA softball championship scoreboard: Momma Nature is there
Mother Nature made an appearance at the GHSA state softball championships Thursday in Columbus, and has nicely disrupted the schedule.
So Thursday night’s 7 p.m. and 9 p.m. games are postponed until Friday. That impacts everybody, because Dodge County, Monticello, Mount deSales and FPD were to play night-time winner’s bracket games in their classes.
All of Central Georgia’s teams got their initial games in, with Perry and West Laurens both losing at 5 p.m. starts.
The GHSA will update the times at some point Thursday night, so check back. Until then, original times remain for each game.
Updated times, in order of classification, for Friday:
Houston County vs. Evans, 12:30 p.m.
Perry vs. Oconee County, 2:15 p.m.
West Laurens vs. Northside-Columbus, 2:15 p.m.
Dodge County vs. Banks County, 10:45 a.m.
Monticello vs. Social Circle, 10:45 a.m.
Mount de Sales vs. Wesleyan, 9 a.m.
FPD vs. Prince Avenue Christian, 9 a.m.
Stratford vs. Mt. Paran, 12:30 p.m.
Tattnall vs. George Walton, 12:30 p.m.
GHSA
Championship Round
Double elimination
Columbus
Thursday-Saturday
Records are based on reports to the GHSA website, which may be not up-to-date reports from the teams, or availability on GameChanger
GAME ONES, THURSDAY (with original times for second games)
Class 6A
Allatoona 9, Houston County 3
Allatoona (26-6) scored six in the third to take control, holding Houston County (23-10) to five hits and only four left on base. Makayla Krepps went 2-for-3 for the Bears against the defending state runner-up.
Next: Houston County vs. Evans (5-4 loser to Dalton), Friday, 10 a.m.
Class 4A
Madison County 4, West Laurens 1
Madison County (27-6) got one in the second and two in the fourth, thanks in part to an error, and held the Raiders (19-10) scoreless until the sixth.
Next: West Laurens vs. Northside-Columbus/Heritage loser, Friday, 4 p.m.
LaFayette 12, Perry 3
Perry led 3-2 after one, but LaFayette (20-9) added consecutive four-run innings to pull away. The Ramblers took advantage of two errors for three unearned runs, and were walked eight times while not striking out. Perry (15-20-1) got two hits from Abby Ussery and two RBI from Harley Crumley.
Next: Perry vs. Hampton/Oconee County loser, Friday, 12 p.m.
Class AA
Dodge County 12, Heard County 2
Dodge County (29-4) rolled into the next round.
Next: Dodge County vs. Banks County (7-0 winner over Harlem), Thursday, 9 p.m.
Monticello 16, Vidalia 2
The Hurricanes (22-7) got off to a good start with two runs in the first that became a great start with eight in the second. Mia Jenkins had a quarter of Monticello’s 16 hits with a 4-for-4 day and five RBI. McKenzie Tripp had two hits, two RBI, and four runs from atop the lineup, McKenzie Abbott, Lacy Rutledge and Bailey Jenkins also had two hits, Rutledge and Jenkins with two RBI each. Jenkins fanned four with a walk in the four-inning five-hitter.
Next: Monticello vs. Social Circle (12-5 winner over Jeff Davis), Thursday, 9 p.m.
Class A Private
7. Prince Avenue 2, 2. Tattnall 1
PAC (20-9) scored one in the fifth – on a leadoff single, sacrifice, steal, and single - and held on to nip the defending runner-up. Both teams had six hits. The Trojans (21-8) matched PAC with six hits, but stranded runners on third in the first and second innings and wasted leadoff baserunners in the third, and sixth, going down in order only in the seventh en route to seven runners left on base. Kenna Epps threw 74 pitches in the complete-game loss.
Next: Tattnall vs. George Walton, Friday, 10 a.m.
3. FPD 4, 6. George Walton 2, 9 inn.
Moe Register hit a one-out double, and courtesy runner Katie Clarie scored on Cardin Weaver’s single for the lead run, and then Avery Stroud’s two-out double brought in Weaver with the insurance run in the top of the ninth for the Vikings. Ace Karsen Ochs then battled through a 22-pitch – including 11 foul balls, seven from the final batter - bottom of the ninth to retire the Bulldogs in order. Olivia Parker’s two-run double in the third gave FPD a 2-0 lead, but George Walton tied it in the fourth. The Bulldogs were patient against Ochs, working her for eight walks against 10 strikeouts.
Next: FPD vs. Prince Avenue, Thursday, 7 p.m.
4. Mount de Sales (15-7) vs. 5. Stratford (12-8), Thursday, 11 a.m.
Jordyn Partain sizzled in the circle for the Cavs (16-7) with 10 strikeouts, one walk and one hit, making the most of MdS’ two hits. One of the Cavs’ runs was unearned in their three-run third, the runs coming on H Hurdle’s first-pitch homer to center to score Emma Carter and Lily Leatherwood. Partain retired 10 straight at one point and the final five batters.
Next: Mount de Sales vs. Wesleyan, Thursday, 7 p.m.; Stratford vs. Mt. Paran, Friday, 10 a.m.