MOULTRIE – Thomas County-Central’s softball lineup did everything from belting three home runs to hitting into that always-seen broken-bat double play Thursday. The Yellow Jacket relief pitching, however, was not up to par.

When the visitors to Packer Park made a change in the circle, the host Colquitt County High batters scored four runs in the bottom of the fifth without needing to swing the sticks that much. The rally changed a 6-5 deficit into a 9-6 win in a contest played under some cloudy skies that dropped a little rain from that fifth frame to the end.

It was also the first game this week Colquitt was able to play as Wednesday’s road trip to Lee County was rained out.

The Packers and Lee are slated to face off at Packer Park 10 a.m. Saturday, weather permitting. It’s part of a triple-header of games with Lee set to play North Cobb at noon, and Colquitt going against a hometown girl, coach Jo Beth Weaver, and North Cobb at 2 p.m.

Kelli Johnson earned Thursday’s win pitching shutout relief for three innings and getting not one, but two double plays of an unconventional sort behind her.

In the top of the fifth, Johnson allowed two Yellow Jacket baserunners, but one was thrown out stealing by catcher Mary Logan Tostenson.

There was lots of offense in the first four innings, and not only did Thomas County-Central get the three long balls, but also two other two-out RBI extra-base hits.

The starting pitching match-up was Colquitt’s senior Bailey Howard and Bri Doughty, who went the full 10 innings of TC-C’s win against the Packers in Thomasville Aug. 17.

But the Jackets also made a pitching change in the fifth, and the new hurler struggled to hit the strike zone with the rain falling. The bases were loaded with neither a hit nor an out, and Paige Vaughan doubled home two runs changing the lead to 7-6. Colquitt also scored from a wild pitch, and with one out Mary Logan Tostenson’s hot-shot off the third baseman’s glove reloaded the bags.

Johnson, who came through with her bat as a substitute when Colquitt won the season opener against Bainbridge at home Aug. 8, helped her pitching cause with an RBI single. That posted the eventual 9-6 final though the Pack left the bases loaded.

Shortstop Kylie Davis and second baseman Kelsey Patel kept their concentration in the top of the sixth. That’s when, after a lead-off single, TC-C’s hitter froze when she swung the softball in play but also saw her bat break in two.

The top of the seventh began with consecutive infield singles, but Packer right fielder (and flex player) Abeny Thomas “laid out” for a catch. From her knees, she got the ball to Marlie Wingate at first base for the second double play.

“It was a fun game to coach,” said head coach Chance Pitts, whose team improved to 6-4 overall. “It was an all-around good win. Thomas County-Central is a worthy opponent.”

Some other impressive fielding moments for the home team were the two assists from Davis in the top of the first and Vaughan’s catch of a line-drive at third base for the game’s final out.

In that opening frame, TC-C had a baserunner around Davis’ two plays, and Madeline Parker poked an RBI triple inside the right-field line. Up next was Katelyn Hobbs, and she ripped an RBI double to left for 2-0 TC-C

The Packers answered with a two-run home first, Gracie Frazier drawing a lead-off walk and stealing second base.

After Frazier scored, the Jacket gloves could not handle softballs hit by Patel and Abby Plymel, Plymel’s outfield fly dropped bringing home the tying run 2-2.

But when the top of the second began with an error, No. 1 Jacket batter Kenlie Harrell homered – with two outs – off the right-field scoreboard.

While the Packers weren’t getting those same extra-base knocks, they got the baserunners to score three times in the home second for a 5-4 lead. Wingate walked to lead off, Vaughan singled and Davis’ bunt was in play but not played. It took until there were two outs for Howard to ground a two-run single to left and Patel to single for the go-ahead RBI.

Two-out situations was the best time to do damage in these early innings, and that’s when Hobbs homered in the top of the third leveling things at 5-5. In the top of the fourth, after two quick outs, Harrell went high and deep to right-center untying the score.

In Harrell’s next appearance, when it was 9-6 Packers in the sixth, there was one runner on but she filed out to centerfielder Dontaysha Wilson in about the same spot as her previous homer.