South Forsyth used a six-run sixth inning to break a 5-all tie to land an 11-6 win over Collins Hill in a non-region matchup Wednesday at home.
The War Eagles went up 1-0 in the first inning, and then the hosts managed to break ties in the home half of the third, fourth, fifth and sixth frames.
That six-run sixth inning finally put Collins Hill in a hole too big to climb out.
Kennedy Ariail broke the 5-5 deadlock with a two-run single to left field. Audrey Hui's RBI hit tacked on a run, and Ansley Chiang drove in Emme Souter with a sacrifice fly. Karly Casey provided the knockout blow with a two-run blast to center.
Every South Forsyth hitter posted at least one hit, with the team totaling 16 knocks in the win.
Casey and Souter each recorded three hits and scored two runs. Charlotte Brooks and Chiang added two hits apiece. Casey finished with a team-high three RBIs, while Ariail and Hui both drove in two runs.
Junior pitcher Josie Crossman went the distance for the War Eagles (6-4). The left-hander allowed 11 hits but only walked one and struck out seven. Crossman also helped her cause with an RBI single.
Danes drop extra-inning thriller
The Denmark Danes stayed close with the Cambridge Bears, but the Bears started to pull away in the ninth inning, defeating Denmark 6-3 Wednesday afternoon.
In the first at-bat of the game, Danes pitcher Annalise Knop let Kate Gordon get a walk. Then Grace Barrett hit the ball into center field. Barrett thought she had enough time to get to third base, but Denmark was able to record the out. However, she was able to get an RBI with Gordon running to home plate on an error.
During the Danes’ first chance at bat, Sara Harris hit the softball right down the middle to record a double. Up next was Grace Welicky, who hit the softball with force to get a single. Harris dashed to home plate for the score, tying the game 1-1.
Denmark took the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning, when Welicky turned on the burners and ran from third base to home plate on Avery Callaway’s single.
A throwing error allowed Gordon to score the tying run in the top of the seventh.
It was a competitive game between Denmark and Cambridge, until the top of the ninth inning.
Gordon hit the ball back up the middle and into Danes pitcher Avery Wentz, who immediately went down.
Jessica Chan, who was 0-for-3 in the ballgame up until that point, finally was able to record a single. Then Barrett recorded her second hit of the game, driving in Gordon.
Mason McDermott, who was already 2-for-2, singled on a fly ball to right field, and Chan eased her way to home plate.
It didn’t get any better for the Danes.
Pitcher Kennedy Pickett and her catcher couldn’t connect, and the ball traveled past the umpire. Barrett saw an open opportunity and slid to home plate. Then Anna Hardee singled on a line drive to the center of the field, which gave McDermott enough time to add to the series of runs, building the lead to 6-2.
When it was Denmark's chance to bat, Riley Bord hit the softball towards the left side of the field for a solo home run. However, the Danes (4-4) couldn’t build the momentum needed to make a comeback.
Lambert falls in pitchers duel
For the second straight outing, Hannah Cole found herself locked in a pitchers duel.
Last time out, the Lambert junior didn't allow a run in a 0-0 tie with Jackson. On Wednesday at home, the right-hander gave up just a solitary run — on a two-out RBI single in the sixth inning — but it was enough to give Pope a 1-0 win.
With the defeat, the Longhorns sit at .500 on the season with a record of 3-3-1.
Forsyth Central can't keep up with Sprayberry
Forsyth Central saw its six-game winning streak come to an end with a 13-6 defeat against Sprayberry Tuesday at home.
After scoring at least nine runs in each of their previous five games, the Bulldogs managed a half-dozen versus the Yellow Jackets. Unfortunately for the locals, Sprayberry possessed more offensive firepower than most of the teams Forsyth Central (7-4) beat in recent weeks.
The Cobb County foe led 7-0 before Forsyth Central got back in the game with a four-run bottom of the fifth. However, the Jackets answered with a five-spot in their next turn at bat, and the Bulldogs couldn't get any closer than 12-6 the rest of the way.
Emily Caron and Reagan Bump both went 3-for-4. The former scored once and drove in two, while the latter posted one RBI. Avery Clemons, Taylor Jackson and Kylie McTier each finished 2-for-4. Clemons scored twice. Jackson and McTier recorded one run scored and one driven in apiece.