Tyrone, Ga — After finishing 3rd in region 7 of the 3A classification, the Pickens Dragonettes softball team were placed in a Super Regional with the LaFayette Lady Ramblers, Monroe Area Lady Purple Hurricanes, and the hosting Sandy Creek Lady Patriots. In the double elimination format, the Nettes needed three wins to advance to the Elite 8 in Columbus.

 

On Monday, October 16th, the Nettes took on the LaFayette Lady Ramblers. The Lady Ramblers, were in 1st place in 6-AAA until the final stretch of the regular season which saw them drop to the #2 seed. The two teams went back and forth for most of the game, and they needed extra innings to decide the winner. With a runner on in the top of the eighth, Senior and West Georgia commit Ally Long, cranked one over the fence to help propel the Nettes to a 4-2 over the Lady Ramblers.

 

The Nettes, were back at it again on Tuesday, October 17th looking to punch their ticket to the Elite 8. First opponent of the day, the Monroe Area Lady Purple Hurricanes. The Nettes, finding themselves down 5-0 in the bottom of the sixth, didn’t panic and scored 7 runs in the bottom of the frame, with 6 of those runs coming with two outs. Senior Charli Fendley, drove in the game winning runs with a 2-run double as the Nettes came back to win it, 7-5. That win sent them to the championship of their Super Regional and they would only need one win to advance to the Elite 8.

 

The championship of this Super regional saw a rematch between the Nettes and the Lady Ramblers. the Lady Ramblers, eliminated both Sandy Creek and Monroe Area prior to advancing to this game. Needing to win twice, the Lady Ramblers, stayed hot as they took the first game, 13-0. With everything still in front of them, the Nettes were just one win away from advancing to the Elite 8.

 

Senior Skyler Weaver, got the Nettes on the board first as she drove in Fendley with a sacrifice fly to make it 1-0. The Lady Ramblers, would tie things up at 1 in the bottom of the second with an RBI single. Junior Lexi Grizzle, who was also pitching for the Nettes, gave Pickens the lead as she sent one over the center field wall to make it 3-1 Nettes. LaFayette, would cut the lead down to 3-2 in the bottom of the fifth. The Nettes, got that run back in the top of the sixth as Weaver sent one over the left field wall to make it 4-2.

The Lady Ramblers, again cut into the lead as they would plate a run after a two base error. Going to the top of the seventh, the Nettes led it 4-3. Pickens, would add on to their lead as Weaver hit a 3-run double into center to make it 7-3. Grizzle, finished off the complete game in the bottom of the seventh as the Nettes took this one, 7-3 to advance to Columbus and the Elite 8.

Skyler Weaver, had two massive hits and drove in 5 of the 7 runs. Lexi Grizzle, tossed a complete game going 7 innings, allowing 9 hits, 3 runs, 1 earned run, struck out and walked a pair of batters on 118 pitches. Grizzle also got it done at the plate with a pair of hits and 2 RBI.

 

The Nettes, will join Jackson, Wesleyan, Morgan County, Harlem, Gordon Lee, Hebron Christian, and Pike County next week in Columbus as the 3A Elite 8 starts on Wednesday, October 25th.