Lady Pats knock off Toombs County 7-4 in first game of double header. Lose second game 7-2.
The Oglethorpe County Lady Patriots won the first game against Toombs County Lady Bulldogs on Tuesday in the first round of the the tate play-off 7-4. They dropped the second game 7-2, their first loss in sixteen games. The deciding third game was set for Wednesday in Lexington Coach Brianna Dickens predicted that Toombs County would be a tough opponent. She pointed out that region 2AA was a good region for softball with strong teams like Bacon County, Vidalia and Jeff Davis Toombs finished fourth in that region with an 18-15 record.
For a softball season that didn’t start so hot at the beginning of August, the Lady Pats put on a spit shine and highly buffed polish for coach and fans alike.. Oglethorpe County lost four of their first six games. There were some one-run losses in that number but the games still ended up in the L column. After that the team collectively hit their stride, found their zone, and only lost one more game in the regular season, and Region play-off
Before their scheduled Tuesday game with Toombs County they were sporting a18-5 record and had been ranked in the top ten in Class AA in the State by the Atlanta Journal and Constitution.
If anything out shone the general performance of Coach Brianna Dickens’ team it was the timely hitting and sterling defense that helped put away region challengers Putnam County and Jefferson County. The Lady Pats had a perfect region record.
Dickens agreed the defense really helped seal the victories against a pretty tough Jefferson County team. Earlier in the year Oglethorpe hosted the Lady Warriors and mercy run-ruled the visitors 16-0. The Jefferson pitcher in that game had trouble throwing strikes and and combined with a few doubles by the home team and some timely singles, it ended 16-0.
Last week the same Jefferson pitcher had pretty good control after the first inning of the first game. The Lady Patriots scored all six of their first game runs in the first inning. Pitcher Claire Gabriel did her job inside the circle while pitching. She had to feel good when she saw how the defense was playing.
The Lady Pats closed out the bottom of the second with a rare, but picture perfect 5-2-6 double play. With the bases loaded and one out. The third base woman fielded a grounder and threw it home for one out and the catcher then fired it Bag Race Series and Clover Glove Race Series points. There is no virtual option offered this year as the Patriot 5K will return to an inperson run/walk as it has been held in the past. OCHS Patriot 5K cross country fund raiser coming up soon back to the shortstop who forced the runner at third for the second out.
Not to be outdone on defense, in the bottom of the third, second -base-woman Kendal Eidson stretched to track down a wickedly hit line drive and ended up prone in the base path dirt but held on to the third out in her glove. If the hit had gone through it would have scored a run.
Dickens praised the defense in the second game as well . She noted that several players made diving catches during the contest. In he second game the Lady Patriots were tied with Jefferson County 1-1 in the fifth.
They started to break through in the fifth inning and ended up winning 6-1, scoring all but one of their runs in the fifth and sixth innings.
AA Region 4 All Region Softball Team
By Coach Brianna L. Dickens
Ella Mason earned region player of the year with a .500 batting avg and on OPS of .1244 while being a very solid defender at shortstop.
Maggie Gray and Claire Gabriel in the circle received region co-pitchers of the year.
1st team highlights: Sissy Hammond and Kendal Eidson- 1st team infield; Gloria Ortiz- 1st team outfield.
2nd team highlights: Mikayla Oldham- 2nd team infield; Elizabeth Russell- 2nd team outfield.
Honorable Mention: Cayla Gibson and Harley Hayes.
Region coach of the year- Brianna Dickens.