Colquitt softball team eliminated by Etowah
Published 11:45 am Saturday, October 19, 2024
By Wayne Grandy
wayne.grandy@gaflnews.com
MOULTRIE – Colquitt County scored two runs in the first inning, but managed no more and fell 5-2 to Etowah on Thursday to drop the first round state playoff series to the Eagles at Packer Park.
Colquitt, the Region 1 champion, and Etowah, the No. 4 team from Region 5, split their Wednesday doubleheader, but with the Thursday win, Etowah will advance to the second round to play at Mill Creek.
All four Region 1 teams were eliminated in the first round.
Lowndes and Richmond Hill dropped both games of the their Wednesday doubleheaders.
And Tift County, like the Packers, dropped its deciding game on Thursday, falling at North Cobb 4-1.
Colquitt won the opening game of the doubleheader against Etowah 6-4 on Wednesday and led 10-6 heading into the sixth inning of Game 2.
But the Eagles scored five runs in the sixth and won 11-10 to force Thursday’s deciding game.
Etowah scored two runs in the top of the first on a walk, a double and a pair of ground outs.
Connie Southwell/The Moultrie Observer
Colquitt County’s RaJayla McBride (11) steals third base in the first inning of Thursday’s season-finale against Etowah. It was the 43rd and final stolen base of the season for the senior center fielder. At right is Etowah third baseman Katelyn Van Galder.
The Lady Packers matched those runs with a pair of their own in the bottom of the inning, one scoring on a sacrifice fly by Rhylee Tillery and other on a single by Libby Wetherington.
Colquitt had opportunities the rest of the way, but never could cash one in.
Etowah scored three runs in the top of the fifth on two bunt hits, a single and two sacrifice flies to go up 5-2.
In the bottom of the inning, Rheygan Harrell led off with a double and Allie Eure followed with a bunt hit.
After a line out and an infield pop, Tillery walked to load the bases, but the Lady Packers stranded all three runners.
In fact, after Harrell’s double to lead off the fifth, Colquitt never got another ball out of the infield.
Peyton Arrington, who won Game 1, allowed just three Etowah hits on Thursday and only two of the three runs were earned.
Connie Southwell/The Moultrie Observer
Colquitt County second baseman Shyanne Harp makes the throw to first against Etowah.
Arrington, who finishes her junior season with a 10-4 record, retired eight of the final nine batters she faced, but took the loss.
Colquitt had five hits, including a double and a bunt single by Eure, the freshman shortstop.
Harrell and Arrington also had doubles and Wetherington had her RBI single.
Reagan Dooley started in the circle for Etowah and went the first three innings.
Nadia Valeas went the final four, giving up no runs and two hits and got the win.
In Taylor Barber’s first season as the Lady Packers coach, the Colquitt County girls won the program’s fourth region championship in six years, finishing 19-12 overall after losing four of their final five games.