The beat goes on! Lady Indians now 32-0 and off to Columbus

SHARPSBURG-To say the East Coweta Lady Indians would breeze through the AAAAAAAA playoffs on their way to Columbus may be changing their minds.
Last week, the Lady Indians defeated Peachtree Ridge by score of 3-0 and 5-0 in close outings and Wednesday evening was no exception as they had to work to sweep the Hillgrove Lady Hawks in their second round playoffs.
The first opponent is unknown at this time as Archer and North Gwinnett split the two games on Wednesday forcing a deciding game on Thursday.
In the first game, Kelley Lynch allowed runs for the first time this season, but survived the outing she and Ashlynn Gunter homered in the Lady Indians 11-6 win.
Meanwhile, Lynch hit a pair of home runs to support the pitching of Rachel Vaughan in a 7-3 win in the nightcap.
While the runs surrendered were the most this season, the victories did improve the record to 32-0 as they advanced to the Elite Eight for the 12th time in 13 years while the Lady Hawks finished with a record of 17-16.
In game one, the Lady Hawks took a 1-0 lead with one out in the top of the second inning as Laura Harris was hit by a pitch and after a groundout was able to score on a double by Ryleigh Akery.
The Lady Indians responded in the bottom of the frame as Caroline Lively reached on a one out walk and courtesy runner Kenadie Cooper was able to advance around the bases before coming home with the tying run on a two out single by Lilly Agan.
Olivia Davis reached on a walk and Lynch followed by drilling a 2-1 offering over the left field fence for a home run and a 4-1 lead for EC.
However, the Lady Hawks proved to be difficult as Lynch surrendered a double to Adara Dale and hit Mo Bastion before recording a strikeout and seeing a 2-2 offering to Avery Eidson pulled over the left field fence for a three-run shot and a 4-4 game.
The Lady Hawks took a 5-4 lead in the top of the third as Akery singled and scored on a triple by Savannah Stewart.
After Lynch retired the next three batters, the Lady Indians came back in the boto tie the game at 5-5 as Agan singled, advanced to second on an infield error and scored on a one out single by Ashlynn Gunter.
The Lady Hawks threatened to regain the lead in the top of the fifth inning with two on base and one out, but Lynch recovered and retired two of the next three batters on a flyball and a strikeout to end the threat.
In the bottom of the frame, the Lady Indians batted around and scored six times to take the lead.
With two outs, Carmen Prior doubled and scored on a single by Agan who advanced to second on the throw home and went to third on a single by Davis.
Lynch reached on a walk and on the first pitch from losing pitcher Chandler Greene, Gunter drilled a shot over left field fence for a grand slam.
Vaughan closed out the scoring for the Lady Indians when she followed with a shot over the center field fence for a solo home run.
The Lady Hawks scored a run in the top of the sixth inning to cut the margin to 11-6 but were unable to get any closer as Lynch retired batters around the baserunners that reached.
In the second game, the Lady Indians proved to be rude "visitors" as Lynch drilled a 2-1 pitch over the left field for a solo home run.
Vaughan benefited from the 1-0 lead as she retired six of 11 batters by strikeout in the first three innings.
She was responsible for the next run for EC as Lynch reached on an error and after a sacrifice bunt by Ashlynn Gunter, Vaughan recorded an RBI as she reached on a double to left center field after being announced by her brother Brookins instead of the normal announcer.
The lead was enough for Vaughan as she retired nine of the 10 batters she faced from the fourth through sixth innings.
Meanwhile, her teammates gave her plenty of cushion in the top of the seventh inning as 11 batters went to the plate and five scored to give EC a 7-0 lead.
Agan led off with a double and advanced to third on a wild pitch before scoring on a double by Davis.
Lynch followed the Davis' double by drilling a 1-1 offering over the right field fence for a two-run home run.
In her last at bat at home for the Lady Indians singled and Vaughan performed the same feat after her brother announced her name again in place of the normal announcer.
Gunter and courtesy runner Kristen Odum would score the final two Lady Indian runs as Kenadie Cooper showed she could hit as well as run with a two out single.
The game was still not over as the Lady hawks came back with a single, an infield error and a three-run home run by Eidson to cut the score to 7-3 but Vaughan demonstrated the proverbial "ice in the veins" by retiring the next three batters on groundouts to end the game.