Carter, Chocallo lead East Coweta to win over Heard County in high school softball

East Coweta’s Megan Chocallo recorded eight strikeouts in 4-3 win over Heard County.

Story and photo by Stuart Crosby

SHARPSBURG-Madison Carter scored on a force play with one out in the bottom of the sixth inning Wednesday while Megan Chocallo retired two batters on strikeouts with the tying run in scoring position to give the East Coweta Lady Indians a 4-3 win over the Heard County Lady Braves.

The victory, held at home on Senior Night, improved the Lady Indians’ overall record to 23-3-1 for the season as they prepare for the regular season finale when they face the Northside Lady Patriots on the road Thursday night in Columbus.

The Lady Indians will be the top seed and host for the Region 3-AAAAAA tournament next week.

After Sarah Colwell led off the frame with a groundout, Katey Lynch reached on a walk, Casey Lambert reached on an infield error and Lauren Liebe reached on an infield single to load the bases.

Katelyn  Bedrosian hit a flyball to shallow center field that dropped allowing pinch runner Carter to come home with the go ahead run but Liebe was forced at second base on the play.

The Lady Indians attempted to score on a double steal as Bedrosian took second, but pinch runner Gracelynn Newman was tagged out at the plate on the play.

In the top of the seventh recorded a strikeout to begin the frame, but surrendered a single to Cali Harrod of the Lady Braves who would steal second to get into scoring position.

However, a pair of strikeouts by Chocallo sandwiched a walk to end the game.

In one of her final games for EC, Chocallo recorded eight strikeouts as she added to her win total as the all time winner for the Lady Indians’ program.

The Lady Braves took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning as Carter led off with a single, stole second and advanced to third on a flyball to right before coming home on a double by Anna Shelnutt.

After Lady Braves starting pitcher Jordan Watson reached on an error and after a courtesy runner eventually stole second, Chocallo avoided further trouble in the inning with a strikeout and a flyball to Bedrosian in right field.

In the bottom of the inning Kia Smith reached on a bunt single for the Lady Indians, stole second and advanced to third when Mekhia Freeman reached on an infield error and came home with the tying run on a groundout by Reba Jones.

Freeman eventually came home to give EC a 2-1 lead as she came home when Colwell grounded out.

Heard County tied the game at 2-2 in the top of the second inning when Alexis Raines led off with a single and came home when Harrod doubled to left center field.

East Coweta regained the lead in the bottom of the inning when Casey Lambert reached on a leadoff single and later scored on a two-out single by Freeman, but the Lady Braves tied the game with one out in the top of the fourth inning when Raines hit a solo home run over the left center field fence.

The Lady Braves threatened to take the lead with one out in the top of the fifth inning with two runners on base, but Chocallo recovered and induced an infield fly and a line drive to shortstop Shemiah Sanchez to end  the frame.