Four run first inning keys Newnan to win over EC

Newnan's Blythe Bates allowed two runs, four runs and record four strikeouts
in five innings and was 1-for-3 at the plate with an RBI.

Miscues in the field allowed the Newnan Lady Cougars to score four runs in the first inning and led to a 6-4 victory over the East Coweta Lady Indians in a junior varsity softball contest played between the two rivals Thursday.

The rivalry will resume Tuesday evening in Sharpsburg beginning at 4:30 with the varsity to begin shortly afterward in a key Region 2-AAAAAAA game.

KK Madrey opened the bottom of the first inning by reaching first on an infield error and advanced to second on a single by Morgan Bruce with the former able to score on an error that allowed Reagan London to reach on a sacrifice attempt.

Bruce, who advanced to third on an error, gave Newnan a 2-0 lead when she came home on a sacrifice fly to right by starting pitcher Blythe Bates.

Jenna Lyons followed by reaching first on a walk and advanced to second on a groundout.

Olivia Hessler lined the first pitch from EC starter Molly Peacock into center field for a single which allowed courtesy runner Marti Dunn and Lyons to score and conclude the scoring in the frame.

The Lady Indians, who fell to 8-3-1 on the season, had a chance to rally with one out in the top of the second as Ansley Duffey singled to right and Ashleigh Campbell was hit by a pitch, but Bates was able to escape further trouble by inducing a groundout and a strikeout.

In the top of the third inning, the Lady Indians cut into the lead in the top of the third inning as Kylie Ferguson, singled to right field and advanced to third on error before eventually scoring on a wild pitch.

Olivia Cook drilled a shot just missed being a home run as the ball fell short of the center field fence for a double and with two outs, would come home on a single to left field by Kenadie Cooper to cut the deficit to 4-2.

EC first baseman Olivia Cook holds a baserunner during the game.
Cook was 2-for-4 at the plate and scored twice. 

However, Newnan would come back in the bottom of the inning with two important insurance runs to take a 6-2 lead.

London led off with a walk and Bates singled before a sacrifice by Lyons advanced courtesy runners Dunn and Makayla Arrington into scoring position.

A single by Gracie Goodwin brought Dunn home and resulted in a pitching change by EC.

After the pitching change, the Lady Cougars recorded the second run of the frame as Hessler hit a ground ball to third for her third RBI of the game.

The Lady Indians, who scored six runs in the top of the seventh inning against the Northgate Lady Vikings to pull off a victory on Wednesday, tried again to rally as Ashleigh Griffin and Eliza Kuhne reached on consecutive one out walks and each moved into scoring position on a wild pitch.

Ferguson was retired on strikeout and tried to beat the throw to first as the third strike was dropped.

She was retired on the throw but Kuhne tried to come home on the play but was out at the plate as the throw from first beat her.

The out was one of the scary moments of the game as Kuhne was slightly injured on the tag and had to be attended to by coaches and an athletic trainer.

After a few moments Kuhne left the game under her own power and is expected to recover.

Bates was replaced on the pitching rubber in the top of the sixth inning by Lyons who allowed a single to Wiggins while retiring three other batters in the frame.

In five innings, Bates allowed five hits, two runs, four runs and record four strikeouts.

However, another Lady Indian rally would force Lyons to struggle with one out in the top of the seventh inning as Madison Lecouna reached on an infield single and Cook followed with her second double of the game.

Lecouna tried to score from on a ball hit by Caison Byars but the throw home was in time to nail the former.

Cooper followed lacing a double over the left fielder's head to allow both Cook and Byars to score to cut into the Lady Cougars' lead.

Cook was 2-for-4 at the plate with two runs scored while Cooper was also 2-for-4 at the plate and recorded three RBIs for the Lady Indians.

However, the game would come to an end as Duffey hit a groundball to third for the final out.