EC hosting Peachtree Ridge in first round of state playoffs, looks to win title and beat everybody

Photos courtesy of Barbara Lecuona

Deangelo Sanchez-EC softball
cheerleader

During the 28 game regular season, the main goal of the East Coweta Lady Indians has been to go to Columbus and return on I-185 North with a state championship as a passenger.
However, one mantra along the way for Lady Indians was #BeatEverybody as inspired by Deangelo Snachez.

Sanchez is the brother of former EC shortstop Shemiah Sanchez who is now manning the hot corner for the LSU Lady Tigers.

Early in the year, Sanchez went from being a cheerleader for the Lady Tigers during their run to the College World Series to the big cheerleader during the run of the Lady Indians.

Sanchez will now take his cheerleading skills into the AAAAAAA state playoffs as the Lady Indians host the Peachtree Ridge Lady Lions in a best of three series that will begin Thursday at 4:00.
A second game will follow and a third game (if necessary) will be played Saturday morning at 11:00 with the series advancing to the second round against either Hillgrove or Cherokee on October 18.

As for the Lady Indians’ most vociferous cheerleader will attend the series or not, Sanchez has indicated through Facebook of his intentions to not only be in attendance but in full voice for the first round and is working toward attending round two.

He is also ready to lead the chant that has made him famous among EC followers.

Beat Everybody!
Sanchez and the Lady Indian faithful will see two clubs that are opposite in a number of ways including how they arrived to this matchup.

MEETING OF THE MINDS. The East Coweta infield of (Left to right) Ashlynn Gunter, Olivia Davis, Madison Lecuona and Rachel Vaughan are having a meeting on the pitching rubber with pitcher Kelley Lynch during the recent Region 2-AAAAAAA Tournament   

The Lady Indians enter the series having beat everybody as Sanchez requested with a 28-0 mark after winning the Region 2-AAAAAAA Tournament last week with a 12-0 win over Campbell and wins over Newnan by scores of 6-0 and 3-0.

After finishing under .500 in three of the last four seasons, the Lady Lions come into the series with a record of 12-10 after finishing fifth in the Region 6-AAAAAAA Tournament.

Due to a four school membership in Region 1, an at large team and by virtue of a mathematical formula that would have made Albert Einstein, Galileo and several other intellects proud.

Under head coach Duane “Bubba” Wilson, Peachtree Ridge is currently ranked 144th by MaxPreps in the nation, 51st in Georgia and is 16th in the 7A classification.

Among the key players for Peachtree Ridge are junior infielder Aleix Hudson who is hitting..439 and hit a three-run homer in a 6-5 win over Mountain View on September 19 and junior center fielder Felise Collins who is hitting .344 and had a solo home run on September 15 against Collins Hill.

As for who the Lady Indians’ bats will face, junior hurler Jenna White comes in with seven wins and a 3.20 ERA while freshman Ellie Lunsford has two wins with a 3.28 ERA.

Among the common opponents, the Lady Lions dropped a 7-2 contest to Lambert on August 11 (a team EC defeated 4-1 on September 1 at Home Plate) and two games to defending state champion North Gwinnett by scores of 7-0 on September 6 and 15-1 on September 21.

The Lady Indians defeated the Lady Bulldogs the next evening in a tough 7-3 decision at Suwanee.
Like a number of teams forced to play tough opponents, the Lady Lions have also faced their share of teams that are still playing as well in North Gwinnett, Mill Creek, Collins Hill, ELCA and Jefferson this season.