State softball: West Laurens gets just enough offense to go with big pitching for Class AAAA state title; ACE and GMC finish third (Saturday)
By Michael A. Lough
The Sports Report
centralgasports@gmail.com
Saturday
Class 4A
West Laurens 2, Whitewater 1, championship
Every pitch, every at-bat always matters in a championship game, sometimes more than others.
Pitchers Tannah Cobb of West Laurens and Makayla Coffield of Whitewater were in control, which still meant somebody’s offense, no matter how much, was going to be the difference.
And West Laurens had a hair more at the plate, but that was enough to win the Class 4A state title.
Whitewater beat West Laurens by the same score earlier Saturday afternoon to set up the winner-take-all finale.
The Raiders finish at 30-4, while the Wildcats end up 35-2, both losses coming in Columbus.
West Laurens joins GMC (Class A Public, 2014-15), FPD (Class A Private, 2016), Mount de Sales (Class A Private, 2019), Jones County (Class 5A, 2020), and ACE (Class A Public, 2021) as fast-pitch champs from Central Georgia.
Fast-pitch started as a GHSA sport in 1995 with only two classes, and started covering Class A through Class 5A in 2002.
The Raiders took out three-time defending champ Heritage (2018-2020) and defending champ Central-Carrollton (2021) while in Columbus.
Whitewater got a two-out single to bring in its run in the top of the first, stranding runners on first and second.
Nine of West Laurens’ first 10 batters were retired until Makayla Stephanie Perry and Makayla Register had consecutive one-out singles in the fourth. Alyssa Jones brought in one run with a single to center, and Register tagged up on Katelyn Wilson’s fly to center for the lead run.
Whitewater got runners on in the second, fourth, and fifth, but Cobb kept shutting the door. West Laurens left runners on in the third, fourth, fifth, and sixth.
Cobb shut that door and locked it by sitting down Whitewater on 10 pitches in the top of the seventh.
Jones had two hits and an RBI for the Raiders.
Cobb needed only 91 pitches in the complete-game win, allowing five hits with two strikeouts and a walk. Coffield struck out 10 with no walks, giving up six hits.
Class 4A
Whitewater 2, West Laurens 1
The scoring came early, increasing the suspense for the rest of the game, Whitewater improving to 35-1 with the pitchers duel win.
It set up a winner-take-all championship game that started around 3:40 p.m.
The Wildcats got one in the second and third, the Raiders answering in the third on a walk to Stephanie Perry, who reached third on a wild pitch, and then a double from Makayla Register.
But the 29-4 Raiders’ bats were quieted, Whitewater retiring nine of the final 10 batters.
Tannah Cobb went the distance for West Laurens, with six strikeouts, a walk and five hits on 100 pitches.
Class AA
Mount Paran 7, ACE 6, 12 inn.
Ruby Collins started the inning on second, stole third, and race home on a fly to center with the one-out game-winner in the bottom of the 12th inning to break ACE’s hearts in the elimination final.
The game ended a pair of remarkable and gutty pitching performances, with Mt. Paran’s Malyana Tamborra, who threw 191 pitches and ACE standout Dixiana Sims, who had 171, on the heels of 164 and 110 pitches in two wins on Friday.
Sims struck out 12 with eight walks in an eight-hitter, while Tamborra fanned 10 with five walks and 11 hits.
The Gryphons went up 5-0 through three and half innings only for Mt. Paran to get within one with a four-run bottom of the fourth. They traded runs on the sixth.
In the bottom of the seventh, Sims had a 3-2 count on Marian Collins with a runner on third, and Collins won the at-bat with a game-tying single to center, Sims ending the inning three pitches later.
Neither team got anybody in scoring position until a runner was placed on second to start the inning, which began in the 10th. ACE went down in order, and Mt. Paran stranded a runner on third.
Both teams went down 1-2-3 in the 11th.
The Gryphons got a one-out single from in the 12th, Sims moving to third. She stayed there on an infield single, and an intentional walk loaded the bases only for Tamborra to get an inning-ending pop out.
ACE won the Class A Public state title last year, and finishes third in its first season in Class AA, ending with a 34-4 record.
Class A/Division II
ECI 7, GMC 2
The elimination bracket final started off good for GMC with a first-inning run, but that didn’t last too long.
ECI scored single runs in the second and third for the lead, and then dealt the knockout punch with a four-run sixth to advance and to end GMC’s season at 21-6, with a third-place finish.
The Bulldogs were held to four hits, and no walks. Hannah Garner’s RBI double was the only run. Workhorse Leah Jannakos went the distance, striking out five with a walk in the eight-hitter.
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Friday
Class 4A
West Laurens 2, Central-Carrollton 1
The Raiders won their third straight one-run game in Columbus and second by 2-1 to advance to the championship.
West Laurens improved to 29-3 with its 26th straight win. The Raiders haven’t lost since GIAA Class AAA champ Westfield won 22-11 on Aug. 27. West Laurens improved to 8-0 in one-run games.
No details were available.
Next: West Laurens vs. Central-Carrollton/Whitewater, Saturday 1 p.m.
Class AA
ACE 3, Appling County 2, 11 inn.
More runs were scored in the final two innings than the first nine, ACE getting the game-winner in the top of the 11th when Avery Stone – who started on second – came in on Gracie McDade’s bunt.
The Gryphons stranded a runner on third, and then winning pitcher Dixiana Sims hit the first batter in the bottom half to put two runners on.
ACE got the lead runner on the ensuing bunt, but the throw allowed the batter to reach second, for two runners in scoring position with one out.
Sims got it done, by striking out the next two batters on eight pitches to finish off the win. She went all 11 innings, throwing a staggering 164 pitches, fanning 14 and walking five in a three-hitter.
ACE won despite being outhit by one.
ACE 3, Pierce County 2
The Gryphons got a little more offense in their second game of the day, and needed it, turning a 2-0 first-inning deficit into the lead within two innings, and then holding on.
Laney Bridges had half of ACE’s six hits, with RBIs from Dixiana Sims, Destiny Lucas, and Lizzie Bridges.
Sims had a run-scoring double in the third, stole third, and then came in on a sacrifice fly from Lucas. She then retired six straight, and got out of a two-on/no outs jam in the sixth and sat down the Bears in order in the seventh.
She threw 110 pitches in the complete-game win, with five strikeouts and four walks.
Next: ACE vs. Jeff Davis/Mt. Paran Christian loser, Saturday, 11 a.m.
Class A/Division II
Wilcox County 3, Hawkinsville 0
A three-run fourth was enough for Wilcox County to end the Red Devils’ season at 17-13.
The Patriots, whose undefeated season was marred by GMC on Wednesday, doubled up the Red Devils in hits, 8-4. Jenni Murkerson had two of Hawkinsville’s hits.
Wilcox County pitching came up with nine strikeouts against two walks, while Hawkinsville’s Katelyn Newman and Rheaghan Powers combined for six strikeouts and a walk.
Hawkinsville stranded five runners, Wilcox County six.
GMC 6, Glascock County 2
GMC got off to a good start and kept it going to stay alive, despite three errors.
Hannah Garner led the Bulldogs with three hits and two RBI. Leah Jannakos and Corrine Rudolph each had two hits.
Jannakos gutted it out in the circle with a 10-hitter, striking out one with two walks on 117 pitches. The Bulldogs survived three errors and striking out seven times.
Hannah Garner had an RBI single and Jannakos an RBI double in the first, the Bulldogs getting some cushion with three in the fourth. A walk to Nickole Rudolph, and singles from Riley Barsby and Garner brought in runs.
The teams combined to strand 21 runners.
GMC 4, Wilcox County 1
Wilcox County lost two games in 2022. Both to GMC, and both this week in Columbus.
The Bulldogs did it again, sending the Patriots home Friday afternoon.
GMC led 1-0 through five, and picked up three big runs in the sixth. Two came when Leah Jannakos followed Hannah Garner’s one-out single with a homer to left. Josie Deason then tripled, and came in on Ashlyn Alford’s sacrifice.
Garner came up with a huge pitching performance, striking out seven with no walks in a complete-game, 94-pitch six-hitter.
Riley Barsby and Deason each had two hits for the eight-hit Bulldogs.
GMC is among three teams left.
Next: GMC vs. ECI/Lanier County loser, Saturday, 11 a.m.
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Thursday
Class 6A
Effingham County 7, Houston County 6, 12 inn.
An intentional walk was followed an out later by a single to right to bring in the game-winner for Effingham County and end Houston County’s season at 27-7.
That second out came when the Bears got the lead runner – put on second to start the inning – at third on a grounder to short.
The Bears went up 3-0 early in the third. Emma Nauss walked and Ariana Pham reached on a bunt single. They came around on Jacy Harrelson’s bomb to left. Houston County then got two straight batters on only to go down in order after that.
Effingham County got a run in the fourth on consecutive doubles, then getting a two-out run on a single, tying it with one in the fifth.
The Bears regained the lead in the top of the sixth on Claire McArthur’s triple followed by Ally Fleming’s grounder, and added one in the top of the seventh on Kinley Snider’s one-out homer to center.
But Effingham County tied it on a one-out homer in the bottom half.
Harrelson was intentionally walked with two outs in the eighth, and Ansleigh Darby followed with a regular walk, but a grounder ended the threat.
Houston County took a one-run lead in the 10th after a runner was placed on second, with Nauss’ single to right. That was countered with a two-out single in the bottom half, and both teams went down in order in the 11th.
The Bears, though, were retired 1-2-3 in the top of the 12th.
McCarthur went 3 for 6 for the eight-hit Bears, and Harrelson drove in three runs. Harrelson, Fleming, and Tess Rollins pitched for Houston County, teaming for 14 strikeouts, eight from Fleming in middle relief.
South Effingham 4, Veterans 0
A three-run third by South Effingham was more than enough in the Mustangs’ no-hitter to eliminate the Warhawks.
South Effingham missed a perfect game by a walk.
Veterans finished 19-12.
Class 4A
West Laurens 6, Walnut Grove 5
A two-run seventh was just enough for West Laurens, especially after Walnut Grove opened the bottom half with a homer to cut the lead to one.
The threat continued, with a single, out, and single, pitcher Tannah Cobb finally getting the last two outs and stranding runners on second and third.
West Laurens (28-3) went up 4-0 after one, and Walnut Grove tied it with two in the second and then fifth. Makayla Register led off the top of the seventh with a homer and the Raiders pieced together singles by Katelynn Wilson and Kaylee Loyd for another run.
Wilson and Loyd each went 3 for 4 with two RBI, Register scoring twice and Alyssa Jones adding two hits.
Next: West Laurens vs. Central-Carroll, Friday, 5 p.m.
Class AA
ACE 5, Union County 0
A day after an uncharacteristic outing, Dixiana Sims was back on point and had some offense to back her up.
Sims whiffed 12 with two walks in the complete-game one-hitter. She retired the first nine batters, and had a no-hitter until a one-out single in the sixth.
Laney Bridges and Destiny Lucas had two hits each for ACE, a beneficiary of seven Union County errors and four unearned runs.
The Gryphons scored one in the first and two in the third to get control.
Next: ACE vs. Appling County, Friday, 11 a.m.
Class A/I
Social Circle 4 Bleckley County 0
A second straight rough night at the plate led to the end of Bleckley County’s season, the Royals again held scoreless.
Social Circle scored one in the first, and was quiet until another one in the fifth before sealing it with wo in the seventh.
Bleckley County was held to two hits. Riley Haley went the distance and struck out six with two walks in the eight-hit loss. Bleckley County finishes 21-12.
Class A/II
ECI 4, Hawkinsville 0
The Red Devils got the hits, but couldn’t do anything with them.
Hawkinsville outhit ECI 6-4, but two errors helped lead to two unearned runs. ECI took a 1-0 lead after one, added two in the fourth and one in the fifth.
Meanwhile, the Red Devils had no trouble getting runners on –they opened the game with two baserunners – before stalling. ECI (25-5) went down in order in the second and third innings, the Red Devils finally going down 1-2-3 in the sixth, by that point having stranded nine runners to two for the Bulldogs. And they went down on 17 pitches in the top of the seventh.
Katelyn Newman gave up three hits, four runs/two earned, in five innings, with no strikeouts and one walk.
The Red Devils struck out 10 times and earned four walks to go with six hits in suffering their first shutout since Oct. 5 against 4A Perry.
Next: Hawkinsville vs. Wilcox County, Friday, 11 a.m.
Lanier County 5, GMC 2
For the second straight game, GMC was put in an early comeback mode. But this time, the comeback fell short.
The Bulldogs had trouble making contact, striking out 15 times and being held to three hits and managing only two walks.
Lanier County scored once in the first and fourth, and twice in the fifth for a 4-1 lead. The Bulldogs got one back in the top of the sixth, but Lanier County countered with one for a 5-2 lead.
Losing pitcher Leah Jannakos had two of GMC’s three hits. She gave up eight hits with three strikeouts and two walks.
Next: GMC vs. Glascock County, Friday, 11 a.m.
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Wednesday
Class 6A
River Ridge 8, Houston County 0
A pitchers duel for five innings went awry for Houston County in the sixth as the Lady Knights put up six runs to shorten the game.
The Bears (27-6) managed only four hits in suffering their third shutout of the season (to 4A tournament team West Laurens and 7A tournament team Kennesaw Mountain).
River Ridge put up the half-dozen on a double, hit batter, single, sacrifice, three straight singles, and an error. The Bears went down in order in the sixth
Next: Houston County vs. Effingham County, Thursday, 7 p.m.
Apalachee 5, Veterans 4
The Warhawks trailed 2-0 after four, exploded for four runs in the top of the seventh only to watch Apalachee win it with three in the bottom of the seventh.
The Wildcats put together a single, two doubles, a wild pitch, and another single for the win.
Veterans was outhit 10-6, T. Glover leading the Warhawks with two hits while Katelyn Haines and Ellie Batten had two RBI each.
Next: Veterans vs. South Effingham, Thursday, 7 p.m.
Class 4A
West Laurens 2, Heritage 1
The Raiders were outhit 9-3, but West Laurens did better with less, thanks to Alyssa Jones taking a 1-1 pitch out of the yard in the bottom of the seventh for the walk-off.
West Laurens took a 1-0 lead in the fifth when Jones reached on a fielder’s choice, Katelynn Wilson doubled and Cheyanne Phillips sent a sacrifice fly to center. Heritage tied it in the top of the sixth with two outs.
Tannah Cobb was sharp and efficient in the circle with three strikeouts and no walks for the complete-game win in 89 pitches. The Raiders survived getting struck out 14 times and earning no walks, thanks to Heritage stranding seven runners.
Next: West Laurens vs. Walnut Grove/Whitewater winner, Thursday, 3 p.m.
Class AA
Mt. Paran Christian 8, ACE 0
The Gryphons were down only 2-o after four, but Mt. Paran went off for three runs in the fifth and sixth innings, and was able to preserve the shutout.
The 29-5 Eagles got a three-hit, 13-strikeout, one-walk performance from Malayne Tamborra. Meanwhile, Mt. Paran was able to get to Dixiana Sims and put up the most runs against the Gryphons all seasons, and handed them their first shutout since falling 3-0 to Tattnall on Aug. 29, 2019.
Sims struck out eight with three walks and eight hits in 5.1 innings.
ACE won the Class A Public title last year with a 31-0 record, and fell to 31-3.
Next: ACE vs. Union County (7-2 to Pierce County), Thursday, 5 p.m.
Class A/Division I
Mt. Vernon 1, Bleckley County 0
The Royals (21-11) had their hearts broken with a no-outs walk-off in the bottom of the seventh.
Each of Mount Vernon’s singles in the inning were booted, leading to the winning run.
Bleckley County was fortunate to have been that close to the Mustangs, with four errors and only one it. Riley Haley took over in the first after two walks, and fanned four with no walks and six hits to get the loss.
The Royals suffered their first shutout since August in falling to the loser’s bracket.
Next: Bleckley County vs. Social Circle, Thursday, 5 p.m.
Class A/Division II
Hawkinsville 1, Glascock County 0, 8 inn.
The two big hits came from Claire Fowler and Makayla Edwards to give Hawkinsville the upset win. Fowler opened the top of the eighth by getting hit, and she advanced on Myah Brown’s bunt single. Edwards ended it with a double to left, improving the Red Devils to 17-11 with their fifth straight win. Their last loss was to another team in Columbus, Bleckley County of Division I.
Brown had two of Hawkinsville’s four hits. Katelyn Newman threw a two-hitter, striking out five with a walk on 96 pitches.
Next: ECI (5-0 over Bowdon), Thursday, 1 p.m.
GMC 6, Wilcox County 2
There is now only one undefeated team in GHSA football, thanks to GMC.
GMC trailed early, but came alive at the plate late and then sealed the deal.
The Bulldogs managed a two-out threat in the first after Hannah Garner was hit and Leah Jannakos doubled, but Wilcox County’s Mary Kathryn McDuffie got a pop out to end the inning.
A dropped third strike got the Patriots going in the bottom of the first, followed by a sacrifice bunt and RBI double. A double play ended GMC’s second after a one-out walk, and the Bulldogs stranded two-out walk in the fourth after both pitchers got on a roll.
Wilcox County added one in the fourth on a double, single, and error, but Jannakos then retired the Patriots in order to avoid a big inning.
The Bulldogs exploded in the top of the fifth.
Nickole Rudolph and Corrine Rudolph singled around an out, and Riley Barsby doubled in one run, the tying run coming in on Ashlyn Alford’s single.
But GMC kept going.
An error allowed the lead run to score, and then Jannakos drilled a first-pitch homer to left to bring in three runs. The Patriots then got the final two outs in order.
Jannakos got out of a second-and-third jam with one out in the fifth, then retired the Patriots in order in the sixth and cruised past a two-out double in the seventh.
She whiffed 10 with no walks in the sterling six-hitter, on 97 pitches, to go with two hits and three RBI.
Next: GMC vs. Lanier County (5-4 over Schley County), Thursday, 1 p.m.
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GHSA pairings
In Columbus
Double elimination, listed in order of the bracket, top to bottom
Class 6A
Wednesday, 3 and 5 p.m.
Pope vs. Effingham County; Houston County vs. River Ridge; Apalachee vs. Veterans; South Effingham vs. Lassiter
Class 4A
Wednesday, 3 and 5 p.m.
Central-Carrollton vs. Wayne County; Islands vs. East Forsyth; Walnut Grove vs. Whitewater; West Laurens vs. Heritage-Catoosa
Class AA
Wednesday, 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Rockmart vs. Appling County; Jeff Davis vs. ELCA; Union County vs. Pierce County; ACE vs. Mt. Paran Christian
Class A/I
Wednesday, 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Pepperell vs. Bryan County; Bacon County vs. Bryan County; Bacon County vs. Prince Avenue; Social Circle vs. Heard County; Bleckley County vs. Mount Vernon
Class A/II
Wednesday, 11 a.m. and 1 p.m.
Bowdon vs. ECI; Hawkinsville at Glascock County; GMC vs. Wilcox County; Lanier County vs. Schley County
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Super Regionals
Double-elimination rounds were played at a region’s top seed site. Tuesday-Wednesday: 6A, 4A, AA, A/I; Thursday-Friday, 5A,3A, A/2.
Class 6A
Houston County 12, Evans 0; Houston County 5, Marist 4; Houston County 5, Marist 4; Houston County advances
Veterans 8, Grovetown 0; Veterans 10, North Atlanta 4; Veterans 8, Grovetown 0, Veterans advances
Class 5A
Coffee 8, Jones County 7; Jones County 8, Arabia Mountain 0; Jones County 14, Coffee 0; Northside-Columbus 5, Jones County 0, championship
Class 4A
West Laurens 17, Shaw 0; West Laurens 6, Trinity Christian 0; West Laurens 8, Trinity Christian 0; West Laurens advances
Perry 20, Westover 2; Wayne County, 9, Perry 5; Troup County 1, Perry 1, Perry eliminated
Bainbridge 8, Howard 2; Burke County 10, Howard 8; Howard eliminated
Class 3A
Columbus 8, Mary Persons 0; Mary Persons 11, St. Vincents 2; Columbus 5, Mary Persons 4, Mary Persons eliminated
Crisp County 7, Upson-Lee 3; Upson-Lee 17, Calvary Day 4; Morgan County 16, Upson-Lee 1, Upson-Lee eliminated
Class AA
ACE 12, Cook 0; ACE 7, Brantley County 6; ACE 8, Cook 0; ACE advances
Dodge County 17, Northeast 0; Thomson 20, Northeast 1, Northeast eliminated; Dodge County 4. Thomson 2; Pierce County 5, Dodge County 4, championship
Brantley County 15, Putnam County 0; Cook 19, Putnam County 1, Putnam County eliminated
Berrien 18, Rutland 2; Rutland 14, Josey 4; Berrien 11, Rutland 5, Rutland eliminated
Vidalia 16, Washington County 0; Jeff Davis 16, Central 1; Washington County 17, Central 9, Central eliminated; Vidalia 16, Washington County 0, Washington County eliminated
Class A/1
Bleckley County 16, Brooks County 0; Bleckley County 8, Lamar County 0; Bleckley County 6, Lamar County 0, championship, Bleckley County advances
Lamar County 8, Screven County 6; Bleckley County 8, Lamar County 0; Lamar County 11, Screven County 7; Bleckley County 6, Lamar County 0, championship, Lamar County eliminated
Mt. Vernon 16, Jasper County 0 ; Rabun County 16, Jasper County 6, Jasper County eliminated
Crawford County 8, Metter 4; Bacon County 6, Crawford County 5; Crawford County 3, Metter 0, Bacon County 9, Crawford County 5, championship, Crawford County eliminated
Irwin County 8, East Laurens 6; East Laurens 8, Claxton 0; East Laurens 9, Irwin County 0; Heard County 10, East Laurens 0, championship, East Laurens eliminated
Class A/2
GMC 3, Taylor County 0; Taylor County advances on forfeit; GMC 6, Lake Oconee 0; Lake Oconee 5, Taylor County 0, Taylor County eliminated; GMC 5, Lake Oconee 1, championship, GMC advances
Hawkinsville 9, Montgomery County 4; Hawkinsville 16, Baconton Charter 14; Hawkinsville 13, Baconton 5, championship, Hawkinsville advances
Schley County17, Wilkinson County 1; Mt. Zion Carroll 16, Wilkinson County 3, Wilkinson County eliminated