On Tuesday and Wednesday, the East Forsyth Broncos defended their home field.
In the first of the two matchups, the Broncos continued their strong play in Region 8-4A with a resounding 13-1 win against North Hall. The following day, East Forsyth produced quite possibly its most impressive victory of the season, edging Class 7A No. 2 Mill Creek by a 3-1 margin.
The Broncos (11-6, 9-1) started the region ballgame on fire, especially Emma Smallwood who drove in four runs on a grand slam in the first.
The Broncos went out to score a total of eight runs in the first inning, with Kennah Wall and Emily Hutcheson collecting singles and Reagan Bennett reaching on an error.
Smallwood, who also doubled, led the team with her four RBIs.
Broncos pitcher Cadence Alberty got the victory in the circle, tossing all four innings, allowing three hits and striking out three.
The Broncos managed to collect 12 hits in the win. Hutcheson went 3-for-3 to lead the Broncos offensively.
The four bases that Ava Cowart stole were a testament to her mission to steal bases. Overall, the Broncos stole five.
Against Mill Creek, East Forsyth took the lead with a pair of runs in the fifth inning after both sides had scored once in the third.
Alberty, Smallwood and Shelby Conaway strung together three singles to break the deadlock, and Smallwood scored on an Avrie Nowalk groundout to extend the lead.
In the circle, Alberty struck out seven in the complete-game effort. The sophomore allowed four hits but got help from her defense, including a caught-stealing by Conaway in the seventh.
Wolverines outlast Bulldogs in extras
West Forsyth and Forsyth Central softball went the distance and then some by entering the eighth inning tied 1-1 in a Region 6-7A matchup Tuesday.
The visiting Wolverines drew separation by scoring two runs in the top of the inning, and great defense in the bottom half kept the Bulldogs from coming back in a 3-1 win.
Emily Brown doubled and Lindleigh Cole received an intentional walk. After a groundout, Madi Heine also drew an intentional walk before Paige Carroll doubled home two runs.
Paige Cooper picked up the win in the circle.
West Forsyth (11-5, 3-2) will host the Lambert Longhorns (8-6-1, 2-3) on Sept. 15. Meanwhile, Forsyth Central (9-9, 0-5) will look to get revenge against Denmark (8-6, 4-1) the same night.
Lambert earns region victory
The Lambert Longhorns softball team pushed its winning streak to four games by defeating Region 6-7A foe Milton, 5-2, Tuesday in Fulton County.
During the winning streak, the Longhorns have now outscored their opponents 24-6.
Both teams scored once in the fourth before Lambert took the lead for good with a two-run fifth frame. With two outs, Courtney Sauer doubled home a run and Hannah Cornetto followed with an RBI single.
A pair of runs in the top of the seventh on a homer by Cornetto helped the Longhorns see out the win.
Hannah Cole tossed a complete game in the circle in a matchup between 2021 Class 7A state tournament qualifiers.
Lambert (8-6-1, 2-3) will look for its third Region 6-7A victory when it travels Sept. 15 to West Forsyth.
North Forsyth lands trio of wins
The North Forsyth Raiders softball team swept a Tuesday doubleheader against Habersham Central and followed it up with a Wednesday victory over Flowery Branch in a trio of home games.
In the first game of the twin bill, Habersham Central drew first blood, as Jayden Thomas singled and brought in a run.
That was the only run North allowed, and the hosts proceeded to score five runs in the bottom of the third.
Pitcher Lexie Durban earned the victory in the circle, lasting five innings and striking out three in the 9-1 win.
Logan Currie and Taylor Pipkins managed two hits apiece to lead North’s offense.
Pipkins and Alexis Monroe led the team in RBIs with two each.
North also got the victory in Game 2, winning 9-4.
Habersham Central once again took an early lead in the second inning, when Joni Littlejohn doubled and brought in two runs.
North responded back by scoring two runs of its own in the bottom of the third inning, thanks to RBI singles from Monroe and Abby Castleberry.
Then in the fourth inning, the Raiders pulled away by bringing home four runs in the fifth inning.
It started when Pipkins recorded a triple, then Durban hit the ball with enough force to get a single. A sacrifice fly by Olivia Swaim helped complete the sweep against Habersham Central.
In a non-region matchup with Flowery Branch, North (13-5, 7-1) jumped out this time, posting a trio of runs in the first inning.
Pipkins recorded a one-out triple, and Durban drove her in with a single to open the scoring. Later in the frame, Trinity Bearden doubled home Addison Peck and Monroe.
After the Falcons scored their lone run in the top of the second, the Raiders got it right back, as Emma Wheeler sprinted home on a wild pitch.
Durban followed with five shutout innings to complete her four-hitter. The junior struck out a pair and didn't walk a batter.