MOULTRIE — The Colquitt County softball team got outstanding pitching, timely hitting and clutch defense in a 2-1 Region 1-6A-opening victory over Richmond Hill on Tuesday at Packer Park.

The Lady Packers and Lady Wildcats will continue their region series with a 3:30 p.m. doubleheader on Thursday at Richmond Hill.

Colquitt County junior Peyton Arrington went the distance in the circle on Tuesday, allowing just the one run while striking out 10 batters in a game that took just one hour and 25 minutes to complete.

Richmond Hill had a runner at third with one out in the first inning, but couldn’t push her across.

After scoring what proved to be their only run in the second inning, the Lady Wildcats still had two runners on, but Arrington stranded them by striking out the final two batters to end the inning.

“That was as good as you can possibly get,” said Lady Packers coach Taylor Barber, who got his first region win as Colquitt County’s coach.

Richmond Hill helped, striking out into a double play in the fourth and having a runner called out for leaving the base too soon in an effort to advance on a fly out.

And then the Lady Packers got outstanding defensive plays in each of the final two innings.

Center fielder RaJayla McBride made a sprinting catch in the gap to retire Aubrey Ragins who was leading off the sixth inning. Arrington struck out the next two batters.

With her team down 2-1, Ashella Matias singled to center to open the top of the seventh for the Lady Wildcats.

But a bunt by Maggie Jenkins was a bit too hard and Colquitt third baseman Libby Wetherington snagged it in the air and fired to first to double off Matias.

Arrington then got the final out of the game on a comebacker.

“RaJayla makes a play out there and Libby makes an awesome play here,” Barber said, pointing to the field. “We executed when we needed to.”

Colquitt scored its first run in the bottom of the first after Kamry Paulk singled.

When she attempted to steal second, the throw ricocheted into left field allowing Paulk to score the game’s first run.

Richmond Hill tied the game in the top of the second when Matias singled to center field, stole second, went to third on Addy Williams’s single and scored on a bunt single by Lennon Monaco.

With the one run in and runners still on first and second, Arrington then struck out the next two batters to end the threat.

The game remained tied 1-1 until the bottom of the fourth when Libby Wetherington drew a two-out walk and scored what proved to be the winning run on Lanie Burley’s double to left.

The Lady Packers had just four hits, doubles by Burley and Rheygan Harrell and singles by Paulk and Arrington.

“Overall, our approach at the plate was not good,” Barber said. “But it was good when we needed it.

“If you want to be successful, those are the kind of games you’ve got to win. and for us, it goes back to the program they’ve been in. They know how to win.”

Barber said Paulk would start the first game of Thursday’s doubleheader and either Arrington or Lilah Thompson would throw the second game.”

In Tifton, Tift County defeated defending region champion Lowndes 5-3 in the first game of their three-game region series.

It was Tift’s first win over Lowndes in Tifton since 2015.

The Lady Devils got a grand slam from Ella Bruce in a five-run fifth.

Tift will travel to Lowndes for Thursday’s doubleheader.

Camden opened its series with Valdosta with an 8-0 win in five innings in Kingsland.

The series will resume on Thursday in Valdosta.