Lady Cougars end nine-year drought, defeat Lady Indians for region lead.

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UPDATE

SHARPSBURG-On October 23, 2004, George W. Bush was a couple of weeks away from being reelected as the 41st president of the United States and the number one song was My Boo by Usher and Alicia Keys.
It was also the last time the Newnan Lady Cougars defeated the East Coweta Lady Indians in softball as the former were 1-0 winners and advanced to the Elite Eight Tournament in Carrie Gilmore’s first year as head coach.
The Lady Cougars ended that streak Thursday evening as they scored four runs in the first inning and made the lead stand as they came away with a 6-5 victory and the lead in Region 3-AAAAAA.
With the victory, the Lady Cougars improved to 5-3 overall and 2-0 in region play while the Lady Indians fell to 6-3 overall and 1-1 in the region.
The game got off to rugged start for the Lady Indians as the Lady Cougars jumped on miscues of the former with two outs.
After EC starter Morgan Goree retired the first two batters in the top of the first but Arden Jobe reached base after an infield error and Lindsay Stewart followed with a single.
Lesley Davis came through as she hit a double that scored courtesy runner and Stewart then after a walk to Newnan starting pitcher Tori Loveless, Masen Willard singled to left field to score Davis and on the play another run came home as the ball was misplayed.
The Indians rallied after one out in the bottom of third inning as Kia Smith was hit by a pitch and Mekhia Freeman reached on a single.
After Shemiah Sanchez hit a flyball to center field, Katey Lynch and Maggie Morrow followed with RBI singles that cut the margin to 4-3.
The Lady Cougars scored an insurance run in the top of the fifth inning as Davis led off with a double, a sacrifice bunt moved pinch runner Tori Neil to third and Willard followed with a sacrifice fly that scored Neil from third.
In the bottom of the frame, the Lady Indians had an opportunity at tying the game as Freeman walked and Sanchez singled with both advancing on a sacrifice bunt by Lynch.
However, Loveless got out of trouble as she retired Morrow on a strikeout and induced an infield pop to Reba Jones.
The Lady Cougars took a 6-3 lead in the bottom of the sixth inning as Goggins reached on a one out walk and after the second out of the frame was recorded came home on a double by Jobe.
As the case has been in previous games between the two, the Lady Indians usually rallied late to escape with the win and this game was appearing be following that theory in the bottom of the seventh inning.
Sanchez led off with a walk and Lynch followed with a double that put the two in scoring position, but that is where the theory ended as the Lady Cougars traded runs for outs as Morrow and Jones had RBI groundouts.
Loveless managed to end the game and break the streak as induced a groundball to Stewart who threw a strike to first baseman Courtney Darrow and the dugout emptied with excitement.
The Lady Indians will look to recover Monday when they host the Northgate Lady Vikings in the annual cancer game with proceeds going to the Pink Posse of Coweta County and the Cancer Treatment Centers of America who have a foundation and a facility in Newnan.
The junior varsity will play at 4:30 and the varsity will play afterward.
The Lady Cougars will host the Pike County Lady Pirates at 6:00 in a non-region contest before spending the weekend at the East Carroll Complex in the Trojan Slam.