Colquitt County first baseman Morgan Holder (14) snares a throw from third baseman Julia Duncan to retire Thomas County Central’s Emily Hobbs for the first out of the Lady Packers 5-0 victory on Sept. 14.

MOULTRIE – The Colquitt County softball team split a Region 1-7A doubleheader with Lowndes on Monday at Packer Park that keeps the Lady Packers in the running for a league championship.

After losing the first game by a 4-3 score, the Colquitt County girls rallied behind the pitching of Maris Hopper and four-run second inning to win the nightcap, 8-2.

Both the Lady Packers and Vikettes have two region losses and are scheduled to meet again in a doubleheader at Lowndes on Thursday.

The twin bill featured two teams ranked in the top 10 in Class 7A by MaxPreps. The Lady Packers went in at No. 4. Lowndes was ranked No. 9.

In the second-game victory on Monday, which raised the Lady Packers overall record to 12-3, Colquitt got a run in the bottom of the first and then rode RBIs by Hopper, Katlynn Powers and Emily Allegood to score four in the second.

Lowndes scored single runs in the third and fourth innings, but could not catch the Lady Packers who added another run in the third and two more in the fourth.

Hopper allowed just five hits and two earned runs over seven innings. She struck out six and walked three.

She raised her record to 6-1 on the season and lowered her earned run average to 2.32.

Powers led the second-game offensive surge with three hits.

Madison Plymel and Morgan Holder each had two hits and Hopper, Allegood and Carli Pearson had the others.

Pearson’s hit was her first home run of the season.

In Game 1, the Vikettes scored four runs in the top of the first and reigning Region 1-7A Pitcher of the Year Jolee Camp made them stand up.

Three of those runs came on a homer by Abby Rykard.

Colquitt scored two in the bottom of the sixth and another in the bottom of the seventh, but could not catch up.

Powers started her five-hit day with two hits in Game 1.

Plymel and Pearson had doubles and Julia Duncan and Laura Hailey Bryan added singles.

Allegood held Lowndes scoreless after the first inning.

She allowed eight hits and walked two while striking out three.

Allegood is now 6-1 on the season. Her ERA is 2.61.

She also continues to lead the Lady Packers in hitting with a .451 average.

Powers’s five hits raised her batting average to .426.

Heavy rain the night before put Monday’s doubleheader in doubt, crews were able to get the field ready by game time.

Colquitt also is scheduled to meet Cairo at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday at Packer Park in a final tuneup before Thursday’s region doubleheader.