Colquitt, Lowndes split softball DH; Vikettes hold first place in region

Published 10:09 am Friday, September 22, 2023

MOULTRIE — Dallas Brooks hit a two-out grand slam in the top of the seventh inning to break an 8-8 tie and help lead Lowndes to a 12-10 victory in the second game of its Region 1-7A doubleheader at Colquitt County on Thursday.

Lowndes had won the first game of the region series on Tuesday 10-5 at home, but the Lady Packers took Thursday’s first game at Packer Park 7-5.

The winner of the second game would have a leg up in the quest for the region championship and the Vikettes went right to work scoring three runs in the first inning and three more in the second.

But the Lady Packers tied the game in the bottom of third with four runs scoring on Maris Hopper’s first career grand slam.

Two more Lady Packers crossed the plate after the homer to knot the score at 6-6.

Lowndes jumped back in front with a pair of runs in the top of the fifth, but Colquitt matched them in the bottom of the inning.

In the top of the seventh, Morgan Causey singled with one out and one out later Channing Smith singled to right.

That brought Camden Anders, who had had two hits, including a two-run second-inning home run, to the plate.

Colquitt elected to intentionally walk her and face Brooks, who homered on Tuesday and had three hits in Thursday’s first game, but had walked three times in four plate appearances in the nightcap.

On the second pitch, Brooks turned that decision around on the Lady Packers, driving the ball over the fence in right-center field to give Lowndes a 12-8 lead.

Colquitt did not go quietly in the bottom of the seventh scoring the first of two runs on a Libby Wetherington single.

With two outs, Lowndes also elected to issue a risky intentional base on balls, walking Hopper with the bases loaded, forcing in the second run of the inning.

The rare decision worked when Kamry Paulk grounded into a force play to end the game.

The victory raised the Vikettes record to 5-1 in the region with three-game series remaining against Richmond Hill and Camden County remaining.

Colquitt falls to 5-2 in the region. The Lady Packers have three games with Richmond Hill and two games with Valdosta left on the region portion of their schedule.

Neither Camden County, Richmond Hill nor Valdosta has a winning region record.

Anders, Causey, Channing Smith and Gracie Williamson each had two hits in the Vikettes 12-hit effort in Thursday’s second game.

Allie Dyal, Taylor Smith, Ellie Shaw and Brooks each had one.

Colquitt also had 12 hits in the nightcap with Wetherington and Peyton Arrington each chipping in three.

Carli Pearson and Lilah Thompson each had two. Hopper and Rhylee Tillery had the others. Hopper drove in five runs.

Lowndes appeared to have tied Game 1 when a runner was called out for leaving third base too early on what would have been a game-tying sacrifice fly in the top of the sixth inning.

With the Vikettes trailing 6-4, Taylor Smith led off the top of the sixth with a home run to center field to bring Lowndes to within a run

Peyton Arrington then was summoned to replace Colquitt County freshman starting pitcher Lilah Thompson.

She retired the first batter she faced before Gracie Williamson laced a single to center.

Williamson moved to second on an error and to third on a passed ball.

Anders then flied to center field and Williamson appeared to have scored from third to tie the game.

But Colquitt appealed that she had left third base too soon and the umpire agreed and the unusual double play ended the inning with the Lady Packers clinging to a 6-5 lead.

Colquitt scored an insurance run in the bottom of the sixth when Maris Hopper reached on an error, stole second and went to third when Kaden Sutton grounded out.

Hopper then scored when the Lowndes catcher threw wildly past third on a pickoff attempt after Lanie Burley fanned for the second out.

The Vikettes were now down 7-5, but Dallas Brooks led off the top of the seventh with a single to left.

Brenna Smith went in to run for her.

Ellie Shaw then lined hard to third baseman Sutton, whose throw to Hopper at first was in time to double off Brenna Smith.

Arrington then struck out Katie Huffmaster to end the game.

Lowndes had its only lead of the game in the first inning when Williamson led off the game with a single and scored two outs later on a single by Brooks.

The Lady Packers tied the game in the bottom of the first when Carli Pearson reached on an error and scored on Sutton’s infield hit.

Colquitt took the lead in the second when two Lowndes errors and Pearson’s RBI double put the Lady Packers up 2-1.

In the third, Colquitt got a two-out double from Rhylee Tillery, who scored on Thompson’s double.

Thompson then scored on an infield hit by RaJaya McBride and the Lady Packers led 5-1.

Tillery’s two-out single drove in Sutton to put Colquitt up 6-1.

Lowndes scored three runs in the top of the fifth inning combining two infield hits, a walk and a crucial wild throw.

Lowndes had 11 hits in the first game, including three by Brooks.

Williamson and Taylor Smith each had two and Channing Smith, Anders, Shaw and Causey had others.

Colquitt had eight hits. Sutton and Tillery each had two and Pearson, Thompson, Wetherington and RaJayla McBride had the others.

Lowndes will be home at 5:30 p.m. Tuesday for the first game of its region series against Richmond Hill.

Colquitt County will play host to Berrien at 5:30 p.m. Monday in its Senior Night game.