West Laurens roars out from the elimination bracket to win GHSA Class 4A state softball title

By Michael A. Lough

The Sports Report

centralgasports@gmail.com

          The hill was a steep one for West Laurens, waking up Saturday in the elimination bracket of the GHSA Class 4A state title round in Columbus.

          One loss, and it’s time to head to the bus early in the day.

          But West Laurens knocked off defending state champ Heritage and then took out North Hall twice to win the state championship.

          The last Central Georgia team to win a title? West Laurens in 2022, joining Jones County, FPD, Mount de Sales, and GMC Prep as area champs since fast-pitch became a full-fledged tournament in 1995.

          West Laurens won the slow-pitch title in 2023 and 2000, joining Dublin, Dodge County, Warner Robins, and Jones County as slow-pitch champs.

          North Hall upended West Laurens 13-5 on Friday, the Raiders then starting Saturday against Heritage, which North Hall beat 8-5 in the first game in Columbus.

          North Hall upended West Laurens 13-5 on Friday, the Raiders then starting Saturday against Heritage, which North Hall beat 8-5 in the first game in Columbus.

          The Raiders won 4-3 Saturday morning, surviving a seventh-inning Heritage rally when it loaded the bases but popped out twice.

          Eventual MVP Demmie Moss got the win in an efficient effort with

          Then came another meeting with North Hall.

          West Laurens got going right away with 3 in the first, a lead that stood until North Hall got one back in the bottom of the fifth. But the Raiders stayed in control with two runs in the final two innings.

          Audrie Edenfield, Madison Brown, and Allie Sahli each had 2 hits for West Laurens, Brown driving in 3 runs on 2 homers.

          On came the winner take all finale. And West Laurens took all.

          This time, North Hall got off to the better start with a 2-0 lead after two. Then the bottom fell out, West Laurens dropping 5 runs – all coming in with 2 outs - in the top of the third on a walk, single, two fielder’s choices, a 2-run single single from Brown followed by a 3-run bomb from Moss.

          The knockout punch came in the fourth when the Raiders put 6 runs across, getting run-scoring hits from Moss, Brown, Ellas Thompson, Chandler Malone, and Edenfield.

          Malone had 3 hits, with Powell, Brown and Maggie Shea Lord each adding 2 hits.

          Moss clinched MPV honors with the homer and 4 RBI to go with the complete-game win, her second of the day..