By Wayne Grandy

wayne.grandy@gaflnews.com

MOULTRIE – The Region 1-6A champion Colquitt County softball players will have to put a disappointing end to the regular season behind them and get ready to perform in front of their home fans in the first round of the playoffs.

The Lady Packers will play host to Etowah High of Woodstock in a best-of-3 series that will open with a 5 p.m. doubleheader on Wednesday, October 16, at Packer Park.

If the two teams split, the “if” game would be played on Thursday with first pitch set for 5 p.m., also at Packer Park.

Colquitt claimed the region title by winning 12 of its 15 league games and will take an 18-10 overall record into the postseason.

The Lady Packers, ranked No. 14 in Class 6A by MaxPreps, missed a 20-win regular season with losses to Cairo and Lowndes in their final two games.

The Lady Packers managed just four hits in the 4-3 loss to the Syrupmaids and then were run-ruled in six innings by Lowndes 11-1, giving up four home runs in the final game before the playoffs start.

But before the two losses, Colquitt had won four in a row, taking three region games from Tift County and defeating Lanier County, the No. 1 team in Class 1A Division II, 12-8 last Monday.

Etowah’s Lady Eagles will bring a 10-11 overall record to Moultrie and were 8-8 in Region 5-6A.

Eliminating Etowah would give the Lady Packers the coveted 20 wins and send them on to the second round to play either Region 8 runner-up Mill Creek or Chapel Hill.

Colquitt County is expected to start Region 1-6A Player of the Year candidate Peyton Arrington in the circle in Wednesday’s first game and possibly in the second game as well.

Arrington, a junior, is 9-3 with one save and in 75.1 innings of work, she has struck out 80 batters and has a 1.86 ERA.

Taylor Barber, Colquitt County’s first-year coach, also could turn to junior Kamry Paulk, who is 5-3 with two saves and 33 strikeouts in 47.1 innings. She has a 2.22 ERA.

Arrington also leads the Packers in hitting with .447 batting average and her 10 extra base hits, seven doubles and three triples, also are the most on the team.

She also has driven in a team-leading 29 runs.

Senior RaJayla McBride is hitting .446 from the leadoff spot and has two doubles, four triples and one home run.

She is a serious slap-hitting threat and her speed has enabled her to beat out numerous infield hits and put pressure on opposing defenses.

She also has stolen 40 bases.

When Arrington starts in the circle, the rest of the lineup is likely to include junior Lanie Burley, who leads the team with two home runs, behind the plate; Paulk at first base; senior Shyanne Harp at second base; senior Libby Wetherington at third base; and freshman Allie Eure at shortstop.

The outfield is expected to have senior Montana Tatum in left field, McBride in center and junior Rheygan Harrell in right.

The designated player will likely be sophomore Rhylee Tillery.

The rest of the roster will include Karleigh Heard, Caselynn Allen, Aziah McNeal, Gracie McKellar, Hallie Thompson, Lilah Thompson, Caroline Edison and Anna Lynn Armstrong.

Barber’s staff includes Ryan Davis, Spenser Richardson, Will Stuckey and Rhonda Manley.

Also in the first round of the playoffs, Region 1-6A runner-up Richmond Hill, ranked No. 15 in the state, will play host to 12-14 Walton, the No. 3 team from Region 5.

No. 3 Lowndes, ranked No. 12, will travel to play 22-5 and No. 9-ranked North Paulding.

Tift County, which finished fourth in the region, will go to Kennesaw to play Region 5 champion North Cobb, which is 28-2 and ranked No. 3 in Class 6A.