Varsity, JV softball teams take wins in first day of Vereen Classic

Published 9:54 am Wednesday, June 28, 2023

MOULTRIE, Ga. — Maris Hopper had three hits and Peyton Arrington gave up just two runs in 3.1 innings of relief pitching as Colquitt County defeated Thomas County Central 10-5 on Tuesday, June 27 in the first day of the Vereen Midsummer Classic held at the Magnolia Sports Complex.

The junior varsity Lady Packers also won their opener, defeating Lanier County 5-4.

Thomas County Central scored three runs in the top of the first inning without the benefit of a hit. The inning ended on a diving catch by Lady Packers center fielder RaJayla McBride.

After Arrington held the Lady Jackets scoreless in the top of the second inning, Colquitt erupted for five runs in the bottom of the inning, with two scoring on a two-out double by Kaden Sutton.

The Lady Packers scored two in the third inning and two more in the fourth before the game was called.

Games are limited to 90 minutes.

Hopper singled in both the first and second innings and had a run-scoring triple in the fourth.

Kamry Paulk had a leadoff single in the fourth.

The game was the fifth of the summer for the Lady Packers who split four games in the Dog Days of Summer tournament at Thomas University, defeating Lanier County 11-2 and South Georgia Academy 13-0 and losing to Thomas University 8-4 and Lanier County 6-0.

The Colquitt girls were scheduled to play Lee County at 1 p.m. on Wednesday.

Lady Packers coach Chance Pitts said the summer work is crucial for a young team that lost six seniors — Emily Allegood, Jacey Wetherington, Julia Duncan, Madison Plymel, Morgan Holder and Laura Hailey Bryan — from last year’s team that went 25-5 last season and 50-10 over the last two.

Three of those seniors — Allegood, Duncan and Holder — have signed to continue their softball careers next season.

“We are going to coach them hard all summer,” Pitts said of his 2023 Lady Packers. “We’ll find the pieces to the puzzle.”

Colquitt will be off the first two weeks of July before continuing preparations in earnest for the 2023 season.

The junior varsity Lady Packers scored four runs in the bottom of the first on the way to their Vereen Midsummer Classic victory over Lanier County.

Hannah Luckey, Ayari Thornton, Lyla Thompson and Taylor Hewitt scored the first-inning runs. Thompson scored what proved to be the game-winner in the third inning.

Thompson pitched the first three innings. Anna Lynn Armstrong went the final two.

Jessi Flowers contributed to this report.