Senior Jay Jay Furney gives the Colquitt County softball team experience behind the plate.

MOULTRIE – When he heard that a third Colquitt County High softball game against Coffee High had been called off by inclement weather, a notable and observant local sports fan noted on Facebook, “That’s 3 strikes … you’re out.”

Well, at least for now, anyway.

True, the Lady Packers home-opener against Coffee scheduled for Aug. 10, was rained out and re-scheduled for Aug. 20.

That game, too, was unable to be played because of bad weather.

On Monday, the Lady Packers were preparing to go to Douglas to play what would be the final tune-up before Thursday’s Region 1-7A opening doubleheader at Camden County.

As rain rolled through South Georgia, that game, too, was called off.

With a recent ruling by the Georgia High School Association to extend the 2020 softball season, there is a chance one or both of those games against Coffee could be played later.

The Region 1-7A tournament, originally scheduled for Oct. 7-8, has been moved to Oc. 13-14. The first round of the state playoffs, originally set to start Oct. 15, now will begin on Oct. 20.

But extending the season won’t help Chance Pitts and his Lady Packers get ready for the trip to Kingsland.

Not only has Colquitt County not had a home game, they have played just four times.

“Missing those games with Coffee hurt, especially after missing so much summer work,” Pitts said Monday. “But everybody’s dealing with it. Everybody’s in the same boat.

“We’re just happy to be playing.”

Colquitt won their first two games of the season, defeating Bainbridge and Thomas County Central on the road before last Saturday’s trip to North Gwinnett.

The Lady Packers dropped both of their games on the trip to Atlanta, but rallied in the second game against defending Class 7A state champion Mountain View before losing on a walk-off home run.

In the first game, Colquitt got quickly behind a strong Dacula team and fell 8-0.

“When we got behind, it kind of took the wind out of our sails,” Pitts said. “But we lost to a good team.”

Colquitt managed just three hits – a double by Madison Plymel and singles by Julia Duncan and Morgan Holder – against the Lady Falcons.

In the second game against Mountain View, Colquitt scored a run in the top of the first and Pitts said he was optimistic about a chance to knock off the defending champs.

But the Lady Bears then went out and scored eight runs in the bottom of the first.

“Then I just challenged them,” Pitts said, telling his team to see if it couldn’t at least make the game respectable.

And that they did.

Colquitt battled back, starting with a three-run second inning highlighted by home runs by Katlynn Powers and Abby Plymel.

The Lady Packers added another run in the fourth to make it 8-5, then tied the game in the top of the fifth with three runs, the final two scoring on a double by Holder.

But Mountain View’s Sarah Currie untied it in the bottom of the sixth and final inning on a walk-off home run.

Both teams had 12 hits.

“We kept battling,” said Pitts, who was impressed with the way starting pitcher Jade Horne put the first inning behind her.

“She didn’t lose her composure,” Pitts said.

And the defense played well behind her, making several sparkling plays. And catcher Madison Plymel threw out a pair of runners.

Powers continued her torrid start, going 3-for-4 with a pair of doubles to go with her home run.

Through the first four games, Powers is 9-for-16 with four doubles, two homers and six runs driven in.

Abby Plymel, Madison Plymel and Jade Horne each had two hits against Mountain View. Holder and Duncan had doubles and Allegood added a single.

Pitts was impressed by Mountain View, noting that the team featured three slap hitters at the top of the order in front of Currie, who batted cleanup.

The Lady Bears lost just two seniors from last year’s team.

“I took this as a win,” Pitts said “We didn’t give up. We battled the whole way.”

And with a team that plays a freshman and four or five sophomores, Pitts said it was helpful for his team to play against the level of competition that teams such as Mountain View provide.

“It was good for them to see that kind of speed,” he said.

Pitts said he is unsure what kind of team Camden County has this season, “but we know they will be scrappy. They’ll fight.”

In what is expected to be a tight race to the top of the final Region 1-7A standings, Pitts does not want a slipup against the Lady Wildcats.

Following the doubleheader in Kingsland on Thursday, the Lady Packers will head to Atlanta, where they will play four games on Friday and Saturday.

On Friday, they will meet South Effingham at 6:45 p.m. and North Paulding at 8:30 p.m. Both games will be at North Paulding.

On Saturday, Colquitt will meet Harrison at 9:30 a.m. and Creekview at 11:30 a.m. Those games will be played at Harrison.

“This is the first year with two trips to Atlanta,” Pitts said. “I chose to do that. That’s what we are going to see in the playoffs. That’s where the good softball is.”

Once back from Atlanta, the Lady Packers will begin preparing for a key region doubleheader at Lowndes on Thursday, Sept. 3.

It appears Colquitt’s first home game will not come until Tuesday, Sept. 8, when Thomas County Central visits Lady Packer Field.

Colquitt’s girls are likely to have played 12 games before finally performing in front of the home fans.