Central softball wins two of three weekend region tilts

Published 8:00 am Sunday, September 24, 2017

THOMASVILLE — Thomas County Central softball went 2-1 in three region games against Harris County and Warner Robins on Friday and Saturday.

The Yellow Jackets played Region 1-5A leader Harris on Friday, but despite gaining a 2-1 lead in the second inning, the Tigers came away with a 9-5 win on Central’s home field.

An RBI groundout from Caroline Pope and a Kasey Melton single gave Central its only lead of the game in the second. The Yellow Jackets were close to getting out of the top of the third with two quick outs, but a two-out rally from Harris aided by a wild pitch and an error put the visitors up 5-2.

Central was able to narrow the Harris lead to 5-4 in the fifth inning with an RBI double from Madeline Parker, a wild pitch and an RBI groundout from Christina Ansley, but the Tigers scored three more in the next frame to secure the win.

Melton had a 2-for-3 performance at the plate against Harris. Brianna Doughty pitched all seven innings in her first of three weekend starts, allowing 10 hits and striking out two.

Saturday’s doubleheader on the road against Warner Robins was a completely different story. The Yellow Jackets claimed shortened 13-0 and 15-1 wins against the Demons.

In Game 1 of the day, Central scored in the first with singles from Caroline Pope and Emily Greek. A sacrifice fly off the bat of Leila Hurst made it 3-0 after one.

The Yellow Jackets blew the game open in the third, coming around for nine runs to help end the game after 3 1/2 innings. Pope and Emily Greek combined for four hits and seven RBI, while Brianna Doughty struck out four and allowed two hits.

Game 2 saw a near-repeat, with Parker starting her team off with a single to score Kenlie Harvey in the first. Although Warner Robins tied the game 1-1 in the bottom half, Central gained full control of the game with 14 unanswered runs from that point, with seven-run frames in the second and fourth.

Harvey led the Jackets with three hits and five RBI in Game 2. Doughty struck out four and allowed three hits.