Westfield powers its way past John Milledge to fourth straight state GISA softball title
Apparently, Westfield had plans Saturday afternoon.
Other than winning a state championship.
The Hornets made quick work of John Milledge, needing not much more than an hour to clamp down a 12-0 four-inning win over the Trojans to win a fourth straight GISA Class AAA state championship at Southern Pine Rec Center complex in Dublin.
From last year’s regular-season meetings to the state championship matchup to this year’s regular season and the finals, Westfield has outscored John Milledge 60-15, with three straight shutouts, including in the championship series.
Sydney Langdon threw a four-inning no-hitter, striking out five with a walk on 57 pitches.
Westfield (29-2) put a firm grip on the momentum immediately, with three runs in the first.
Sadie Hayes belted the fourth pitch to right for a triple, and Ellie Williams walked. Hayes came in on a wild pitch, and Williams moved to second on a groundout, then came in on Emma Williams’ double to left. A grounder preceded Langdon’s RBI double to left with two outs.
Langdon was out of the bottom of the first in 11 pitches, with two strikeouts.
Three in the first wasn’t good enough, so Westfield doubled it in the second.
Kendall Fowler was hit, and sacrificed to second. Hayes singled, and Ellie Williams cleared the bases with a three run homer to left.
Emma Williams walked and Carliegh Knowles reached on an error. Langdon drove in two more with a double to left, and Brooke Corlee added a run-scoring single to right, and it was 8-0.
Langdon was out of the bottom of the second in 16 pitches, with two strikeouts.
Lindsey Easom doubled to open the third, and two outs later, Marena Knowles drove her in with an infield single.
An error, walk, and single set up Fowler’s two-run single to center in the fourth, and Langdon needed nine pitches in the bottom of the fourth to finish it.
Hayes, Langdon, and Corlee had two hits each, with three-RBI games from Ellie Williams and Langdon, and two from Fowler. Hayes, both Williams, Carliegh Knowles, and Meg Hiley each scored twice.
On Thursday, Langdon was on point in the circle, striking out 11 and throwing a one-hitter in the Hornets’ 5-0 win.
Westfield got all it needed with three runs in the third, with some two-out power.
Marena Knowles belted a two-run homer, followed four pitches later by a solo shot from Emma Williams. The Hornets added two in the sixth on a walk, double, walk, fielder’s choice, and error.
Williams had two hits and two runs.