EC wins deciding game to claim region championship on emotional filled Thursday

Momentum would make several visits to the softball field at Newnan High School Thursday evening as the East Coweta Lady Indians faced the Newnan Lady Cougars in the finals of the Region 3-AAAAA Tournament.
The two rivals had to play two games as the Lady Cougars scored five runs in the top of the seventh inning to come away with a 6-2 victory in the championship final to force the if necessary game which the Lady Indians would win in an emotionally charged 6-4 decision thatgave them the tournament title.
Both will play at home next week in the first round of the state tournament with EC hosting Coffee while Newnan will host Colquitt County.


East Coweta pitcher Morgan Goree recovered in the if necessary game of the Region 3-AAAAAA Tournament to allow eight hits in the 6-4 victory that gave the Lady Indians the tournament title. She retired 14 of the final 17 batters she faced in the game.

The Lady Indians took an early lead in the bottom of the first inning as Kia Smith reached on a walk, stole second and came home on a two out single by Shemiah Sanchez.
The Lady Cougars tied the game in the top of the fourth inning, as Chaycie Goggins led of with a single and eventually scored on a wild pitch, but the Lady Indians regained the lead in the bottom of the sixth as Freeman singled, stole second and came home on an RBI single by Sanchez to give the latter momentum and thoughts of clinching the title.
 However, momentum shifted in the top of the seventh inning to Newnan's favor after starting pitcher Tori Loveless hit a line drive back to her EC counterpart Morgan Goree.
M.B. Arnall singled and after Chasity Meadows was hit by a pitch, Shania Colton followed with a single to load the bases for Lauren Ferguson.
Ferguson hit a ball to second, but the ball got through allowing Arnall and Meadows to come home and give the Lady Cougars a 3-2 lead.
The Lady Indians thought they would get out of the inning as Goree recorded a strikeout but that was not the case as Arden Jobe hit a softball to second but the throw was late allowing Colton to score.
Goggins followed with an RBI single and after Lindsay Stewart was hit by a pitch, Goree was replaced by Kaylin Wall who gave up an RBI single to Loveless before getting a flyball to center field to end the frame.
Loveless, who allowed four hits and recorded five strikeouts in the first game, retired the side in order in the bottom of the frame to end the game and the Lady Cougars took the momentum into the deciding game.
In the nightcap, however, momentum would shift several times for the two rivals before the final out of the game was recorded.
The Lady Cougars took a 2-0 lead in the nightcap after two outs as Jobe singled and Goggins doubled before Stewart followed with a two-run single to right.
Momentum began to fade from Newnan, however, as the Lady Indians came back to tie the game at 2-2 in the top of the second inning as
In the top of the third inning, EC took the momentum as they scored three runs to take a 5-2 lead as Smith and Freeman reached on singles and each stole a base before a throwing error scored Smith for the go ahead run.

Chaycie Goggins gave the Newnan Lady Cougars a spark Thursday as she was 4-for-8 at the plate with a home run, two runs scored and three RBIs. (File photo)

Sanchez reach on an infield error then consecutive groundouts by Reba Jones and Katey Lynch brought Freeman and Sanchez home to complete the scoring.
The Lady Cougars regained some of the lost momentum in the bottom of the third inning as Jobe reached on a one out single then Goggins followed with a shot over the left field fence for a two run homer that cut the margin to 5-4.
However, the Lady Indians took the momentum back as they scored a run in the top of the fourth inning when Gracelynn Newmon singled and eventually scored on a single to right by Freeman and the Lady Cougars were unable to generate anymore offense against Goree as she limited them to two hits over the final four innings.
The Lady Indians and the Lady Cougars will host best-of-three first round playoff series Wednesday with EC facing will host Coffee County who is the fourth seed from Region 1-AAAAAA while the Lady Cougars will host Colquitt County who is the third seed from that region.