Nettes softball advances to Elite 8 for second straight year

PHS Softball, Team FYN Sports

Fort Valley, Ga — Fresh off a game 3 win over the Dawson Lady Tigers on Saturday, October 19th, the Pickens Dragonettes softball team, traveled down to Peach County to take on the Lady Trojans in the Sweet 16 of the 3A State Softball Tournament on Thursday, October 24th. Using momentum they gained this past Saturday, the Nettes swept the Lady Trojans, 15-1 and 7-1 to advance to the Elite 8.

Game 1:

In the top of the first, Lexi Grizzle gave the Nettes an early 1-0 lead as she drove in courtesy runner Caleigh Rau with an RBI double. In the bottom half of the first, Shaniyah Gibson tied the game with a solo home run. Heading to the second inning, the Nettes and Lady Trojans were tied at 1.

In the top of the second, Hannah Parks, reached base on a 2-out single. Lady Trojans starter Gracie Martin, was able to get out of it and send it to the bottom of the frame. In the bottom of the second, Freshman Nettes starter Kendra Stewart, tossed a 1-2-3 inning to send it to the third with the score still tied at 1.

In the top of the third, Ainsley Jones reached on a 1-out single. Grizzle, followed that with a single of her own with 2-outs. Both would move up a base after an error. Another Freshman, Kylie Bozeman, would drive in both Jones and Grizzle with a 2-RBI double to make it 3-1. Jaycee Beck, would bring in Bozeman with an RBI single to make it 4-1 Nettes going to the bottom of the third.

Martin, would draw a 2-out walk in the bottom of the third, but that would be all as her courtesy runner Avery Yaughn would be left stranded at 2nd. Heading to the fourth, Pickens led Peach County, 4-1.

In the top of the fourth, Parks led off with a single. Maddie Johnson, followed that with a single as well. River Becker, would move them over after a sacrifice bunt. Jones, would drive in both Parks and Johnson with a 2-RBI single to make it 6-1 Nettes. Stewart, would help herself out with a 2-run home run to make it 8-1 Nettes.

In the bottom of the fourth, Alyssa Smith, would be hit by a pitch with 2-out. Again, Stewart would get out of it to send it to the fifth with the Nettes leading the Lady Trojans, 8-1.

In the top of the fifth, Ellie Hollis would get things started with a single. Parks, would bring in Hollis with a single. Both would advance on an error. Johnson, would drive in Parks to make it 10-1. With the bases loaded, Stewart would bring in Johnson with an RBI single. Bozeman, would bring in Jones with a sac fly RBI to make it 12-1. Beck, would drive in Rau and Grizzle to make it 14-1 Nettes.

An RBI single from Hollis would score Beck to make it 15-1 Nettes heading to the bottom of the fifth.

In the bottom half of the fifth, Stewart, closed out the game with a 1-2-3 frame as she forced two ground outs and picked up a strikeout to seal the 15-1 win in game 1 for the Nettes.

Game 2:

The Nettes were the designated home team for the second game as the Lady Trojans looked to gain some momentum early. After starting pitcher Shaniyah Gibson reached on a fielder’s choice, her courtesy runner, Avery Yaughn, would come in to score after an RBI single by Alyssa Smith. Heading to the bottom of the first, Peach County led Pickens, 1-0. After a long bottom of the first, the Nettes would leave a pair of runners stranded in scoring position. Going to the second, the Lady Trojans led the Nettes, 1-0.

Kendra Stewart, back on the mound for the 2nd game, tossed a 1-2-3 top of the second to send it to the bottom of the frame. In the bottom half of the inning, Ellie Hollis would reach base on an error with 1-out. Hannah Parks, would follow that by drawing a walk to put runners at 1st and 2nd. Hollis and Parks would then advance to 2nd and 3rd after a wild pitch. Maddie Johnson, would bring in Hollis on a ground out to tie the game at 1. Parks, who advanced to 3rd on the play, would come in to score on a wild pitch to make it 2-0 Nettes going to the third.

Gibson, would look to keep the top of the third alive for the Lady Trojans as she drew a 2-out walk. Kaylyn Hornaday, would then be hit by a pitch to put runners at 1st and 2nd. Yaughn, the courtesy runner, would be picked off at 2nd to end the top of the third with the Nettes still leading, 2-1. Jaycee Beck, would look to get things going for the Nettes in the bottom of the third as she drew a 1-out walk. Beck, would score after a single by Hollis and an error that would allow Hollis to make it all the way to 3rd.

Parks, would then drive in Hollis with a single to make it 4-1 Nettes over the Lady Trojans heading to the fourth.

In the top of the fourth, Akira Everett, would draw a 2-out walk trying to get a rally started for the Lady Trojans. Stewart, would pick up a strikeout for the 3rd out of the top of the fourth to send it to the bottom of the inning. In the bottom of the fourth, Ainsley Jones, would draw a lead off walk to reach base. She would advance to 3rd after a pair of ground outs by Stewart and Grizzle. Kylie Bozeman, would bring in Jones with an RBI single to make it 5-1 Nettes heading to the fifth.

The starter in game 1 for the Lady Trojans, Gracie Martin, would draw a 2-out walk in the top of the fifth as again the Lady Trojans were hoping for some 2-out magic. Stewart, would get out of it to send it to the bottom of the inning. Parks, would lead off the bottom of the fifth with a walk. Johnson, would follow with a single. The runners would then advance to 2nd and 3rd after a wild pitch. Gibson, did a really nice job of working out of a jam as she picked up two strikeouts and a ground out to send it to the sixth with the Nettes still ahead, 5-1.

In the top of the sixth, Alyssa Smith, drew a 2-out walk. She would then advance to 2nd after a wild pitch. Stewart, worked around it to pick up the strikeout to send it to the bottom of the inning. Grizzle, would lead off the bottom of the sixth with a single. Bozeman, would follow with a single as well to put runners at 1st and 2nd. Grizzle and Bozeman, would then advance on a wild pitch.

Beck, would drive in Grizzle with an RBI single to make it 6-1. Parks, would bring in Bozeman with a sacrifice fly RBI to make it 7-1 Nettes heading to the seventh.

In the top of the seventh, Saniya Martin, would reach after getting hit by a pitch. After a strikeout, Martin would advance to 2nd on a ground out. Stewart, would seal the game for Pickens with her 10th strikeout as the Nettes take game 2, 7-1 to advance to Columbus and the Elite 8.

The Nettes, will now turn their attention to the Elite 8 where they will take on the Cherokee Bluff Lady Bears in Columbus, Ga on Wednesday, October 30th at 1 pm.

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