Colquitt beats TCC, Lee County in Vereen Midsummer Classic

Published 10:16 am Thursday, June 29, 2023

MOULTRIE, Ga. — Maris Hopper had five hits and Peyton Arrington turned in some strong innings in the circle as the Colquitt County softball team won both of its games in the Vereen Midsummer Classic held June 27 and June 28 at the Magnolia Sports Classic.

Hopper had three hits and Arrington gave up just two runs in 3.1 innings of relief pitching when the Lady Packers defeated Thomas County Central 10-5 in the first day of the annual event.

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 were 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.

Colquitt blanked Lee County 11-0 on Wednesday with Arrington pitching all five innings.

Hopper and McBride each had two hits, Sutton had a single and Montana Tatum chipped in a double.

The games were the fifth and sixth of the summer for the Lady Packers who earlier 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.

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 the 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.

Hopper, McBride, Libby Wetherington and Carli Pearson are the most experienced returning players.

“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 5-4 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.