Vaughan, Lynch combine on four-hitter to defeat Newnan

SHARPSBURG-Kelley Lynch celebrated her 16^th birthday Wednesday with three hits at the plate and combining with Rachel Vaughan on the pitching rubber with a four-hit outing as the East Coweta Lady Indians defeated the Newnan Lady Cougars 7-1 in the winners bracket of the Region 2-AAAAAAA Tournament.

The Lady Indians (23-4) advanced to the championship game where they will either meet the same Lady Cougars (16-12) at 6:30 or the Westlake Lady Lions who hammered the Wheeler Lady Wildcats 18-1 in a three inning contest.

The Lady Cougars and Lady Lions will meet in an elimination game at 4:30 to determine who advances and should an extra championship game become necessary, it would be played after the 6:30 contest.

As for the latest battle between Newnan and East Coweta, Vaughan and Addie Andrews held the batters in check with Vaughan getting help from her defense while Andrews found a number of ways to retire the Lady Indians.

The Lady Indians got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the third when Andrews surrendered a walk to Carmen Prior who moved to second on a sacrifice bunt by Lindsay “Lulu” Warren and raced home when Olivia Davis lined a double to left center field.

Davis, who was 2-for-3 with a walk and three runs scored, moved to third on a single by Lynch and collected her first tally of the evening when Vaughan hit a sacrifice fly to center field.

The Lady Indians added to the lead in the bottom of the fourth inning when Ashlynn Gunter drilled the first offering from Andrews over the right center field fence and after an out had a chance for more as Caroline Lively singled.

However, after courtesy runner Caison Byars stole second, Andrews was able to escape further trouble by retiring the next two batters.

The 3-0 lead seemed enough for Vaughan who was getting a lot of groundouts while also getting defensive stops like one provided by Davis who robbed Hailey Bloom of a single with a diving catch that started the fourth inning.

In the top of the fifth inning, the Lady Cougars threatened to rally as Breanna Houston led off with a single and after a strikeout, Ansley Houston singled down the third baseline and Lynch was brought in to replace Vaughan.

The move paid off for EC as Lynch retired the next two batters by strikeout to end the frame and she would have the same success in the top of the sixth as an infield error and a hit batter were sandwiched by strikeouts.

Meanwhile, the Lady Indians added to the lead in the bottom of the fifth inning as Davis walked and eventually scored after consecutive singles by Lynch and Vaughan.

A sacrifice bunt by Aniston Wright moved courtesy runner Krys Odum and Vaughan into scoring position and Gunter followed with a groundout that scored Odum from third and gave the Lady Indians a 5-0 lead.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, Andrews was replaced on the pitching rubber by Ansley Houston who had a chance to keep EC off the scoreboard after getting two outs on force plays.

However, the Lady Indians were able to add to the lead as Warren, who reached on a fielders choice, stole second and moved to third on a single by Davis who took second on a throw into the infield.

Lynch followed with a two-run single and the Lady Indians were close to ending the game on the mercy rule as Vaughan and Wright reached on walks but the third out of the inning was called after a collision between Vaughan and Curlee at shortstop.

In the top of the seventh inning, Lynch retired Sarah Vallery on a strikeout but lost the shutout as Ansley Houston drilled a shot over the left field fence for a solo home run.

The home run by Houston was her second of the tournament as she hit a three-run blast against Wheeler in the tournament opener.

After the home run, Lynch recovered and recorded two strikeouts to end the game then the team raced to a table where she blew out candles on a birthday cake as did teammate Odum who received a birthday cookie.

Tournament games broadcast online

Wednesday’s tournament games were broadcast on the internet by Stream City (streamcity.org) who broadcasts a number of high school sports in Coweta, Fayette and Henry Counties.

Thursday’s games will also be carried online by clicking here.. Both games will be broadcast beginning with a pregame show at 4:00.