EC returns to Elite Eight behind pitching of Lynch and hitting of Cooper and Gunter

Photos courtesy of Barbara Lecuona

SHARPSBURG-Thursday night, the East Coweta Lady Indians performed a similar tune with only one alteration in the verses after their two-game sweep of the Cherokee Warriors the 7A State Semifinals.
For the 13th time in 14 years, the Lady Indians will advance to the Elite Eight Tournament in Columbus after wins of 3-0 and 9-3 with the alteration of defending state champion in the song.

Kelley Lynch had a one-hit, 14 strikeout outing in game 1 and
retired all nine batters she faced in the second game.

The Lady Indians (28-2) will face Grayson next Thursday morning in the first game at 9:00. The Lady Rams (29-3) won the deciding game of their series over the Collins Hill Lady Eagles by a score of 3-2.
In game one, the game was scoreless until the bottom of the third inning as Kelley Lynch only recorded seven strikeouts in that span while Cherokee's Brooke Hester retired the side in the first and got of a jam in the second that saw EC with two runners on base and nobody out.
The Lady Indians broke through in the bottom of the third as Lilly Agan reached base on a throwing error by Hester and eventually scoring on a two out single by Kenadie Cooper.
After a fourth inning in which Ansley Gunter would have two putouts at first base, the Lady Indians added to their advantage in the bottom of the frame as the aforementioned Gunter led off with a line drive double along the third base line.
Caison Byars followed with a bloop single and went to second on a throw to third that failed to retire Gunter and both came home as Ashleigh Griffin lined a single past the second baseman.
The Lady Indians were unable to add to the lead but it didn't matter as Lynch was recording strikeouts while "allowing" third baseman Olivia Cook to have a pair of putouts.
Lynch, who finished with 14 strikeouts, lost her bid at a no-hitter and saw her only jam in the top of the seventh inning she surrendered a single to Gracie Mixson and a one out walk to Ashlyn Mickler.
However, the Cherokee threat ended quickly as a ground ball was hit to Griffin at shortstop who threw to Cook for a force and Lynch ended the game with another strikeout.
Hester, who pitched all three games against Colquitt County in the first round, proved to be tough in the first game allowing seven hits and recording three strikeouts.
The Cherokee starter began to show signs of wear in the game two as EC scored on her early with Agan reaching on a double to left and scoring from third as Lynch hit a sacrifice fly to right field.
With Aniston Wright unable to pitch due to illness, Jaliyah Holmes got the call and surrendered a double to open the frame before retiring the next three batters on infield putouts.
The Lady Warriors tied the game off Holmes in the bottom of the second as Haleigh Chichetti reached base and scored on a two out double by Jordyn Stanfill.

Kenadie Cooper had a solid series against Cherokee by going 5-for-7
at the plate with a home run, three runs scored and four RBIs.

In the top of the third, the Lady Indians regained the lead as Carmen Prior reached on a leadoff double and scored in front of a two out home run by Cooper who was followed by Gunter's line shot over the left center field fence.
The Lady Warriors proved to be a tough opponent as they scored a run in the bottom of the third inning and cut the margin to 4-3 as Stanfill lined a shot to center field for a home run.
An answer came in two forms by the Lady Indians in the top of the fifth inning.
In the top half, singles by Lynch, Cooper, Gunter and pinch hitter Ansley Duffey produced two runs and gave the Lady Indians a 6-3 lead.
In the bottom of the inning, head coach Franklin Deloach pressed the "Kelley" button as she took over on the pitching rubber and in her final home game, took care of business by striking out seven of nine batters while allowing Agan to make a catch in center field in the fifth and catcher Caroline Lively to make a catch in the seventh.
The Lady Indians added to the lead in the top of the sixth. as Prior singled in her final at bat at home followed by a walk to Lynch and the former coming home on a double by Cooper.
Courtesy runner Macie Wiggins would come home on a single by Gunter and Cooper would record the final run on a sacrifice fly by Duffey.
In two games, Cooper was 5-for-7 at he plate with three runs scored, a home run and four RBIs while Gunter was 4-for-7 with two runs scored, a home run and two RBIs.   
NOTES: The 2018 tournament will be different this year as several teams from 2017 were eliminated in the first round.
In 2017, 7A was represented by East Coweta, Etowah, Collins Hill, Lowndes, Kennesaw Mountain, Lambert, Archer and Parkview.
Etowah was eliminated by Lowndes (they will play Newnan who eliminated Kennesaw Mountain in the first round last week), Collins Hill was eliminated by Grayson, Parkview saw their season end in the first round while Archer was eliminated in the second round by Brookwood and Lambert failed to qualify for the postseason.
This year, the field will see the Lady Indians return along with Grayson, Hillgrove, North Gwinnett, Brookwood, Mill Creek and Lassiter with the eighth spot being determined this weekend.
Of the EC opponents this year, Hillgrove, Lassiter, Locust Grove, Buford, Hampton, Loganville, and Northside-Columbus will appear in the Elite Eight.
Cairo and Newnan have series this weekend to determine their fate.

EC defeats North Cobb and Mother Nature in playoff series

SHARPSBURG-Mother Nature did battle against East Coweta Lady Indians head coach Franklin Deloach, several assistants as well as parents and other volunteers Tuesday night in order to complete their first round AAAAAAA playoff series against the North Cobb Lady Warriors.

This time around, the purple and gold clad people were the victors and the series was completed and the Lady Indians came away with a two-game sweep.

In game one, Kelley Lynch and Jaliyah Holmes combined on a two hitter while Ansley Gunter, Caison Byars and Carmen Prior had two hits apiece in a 10-0 five inning contest while an 11-run third inning in between a pair of rain stoppages led to a 16-0 three inning win.

The Lady Indians improved to 26-2 on the season and will face either Colquitt County or Cherokee who will play next week. 
The Lady Warriors, the number four seed from Region 3-AAAAAAA finished their season with a 10-20 record.

The Lady Indians took control of game one early as Lilly Agan led off the bottom of the first inning by reaching on an error and scoring on a triple by Prior.

After a walk to Lynch and a groundout, Gunter followed with a sacrifice fly to left field that scored Prior from third and Byars followed with an RBI single that brought courtesy runner Jaliyah Holmes home with the third and final run of the inning.

After a scoreless second inning, the Lady Indians batted around as 13 batters went to the plate and seven came home.

Lynch and Kenadie Cooper had consecutive doubles to account for a run while singles by Gunter, Byars and Griffin along with a sacrifice fly to left by Olivia Cook led to a pair.

A two run single by Prior and a sacrifice fly to center field by Cooper capped off the frame.

After a perfect three innings in which she retired all nine batters on strikeouts, Lynch moved to shortstop and Holmes took over and managed to also keep the Lady Warriors scoreless in the final two frames.

In the second game, each team threatened to get on the scoreboard with runners on base but Tessah McAllister and Aniston Wright were able to get the third out to end the first inning.

McAllister was not as lucky in the top of the second inning as the Lady Indians scored five runs in the frame to take the lead.

With one out, Ashleigh Griffin walked and Cook followed by drilling a 2-2 offering over the left fence for a two-run home run to give the Lady Indians the lead.

Singles by Taylor and Agan led to another run as Prior hit a sacrifice fly to center field and after an intentional walk to Lynch, Cooper made the Lady Warriors pay as she drilled a two-run double to right that scored two runs.

Next came the top of third that lasted a long time as the game was stopped twice.

The frame started with a walk to Gunter, a hit batter and two more walks that g ave EC a 10-0 lead and led to a pitching change by NC.

After the change, the Lady Indians added to the total with a two run single by Prior who would score on a wild pitch and Cooper had an RBI single to increase the margin to 13-0 when the rain came and play was stopped.

A feverish effort by Coachload and a cast of thousands to make the field playable was underway and after a delay, the umpires returned to the field and play resumed.

Gunter was hit by a pitch and Byars followed with a single with two errors on the play to increase the lead to the game’s final margin.

Wright retired the first two batters in the bottom of third inning before allowing a walk and ending the contest with another strikeout to end the game and the series.

EC wins region tournament, top seed with North Cobb on the horizon

Created by Barbara Lecuona

SHARPSBURG-In a game that featured solid pitching and key defensive plays, the East Coweta Lady Indians came away with the Region 2-AAAAAAA tournament championship Thursday after a 5-1 victory over the Newnan Lady Cougars.
The Lady Indians improved to 24-2 on the season and will have the region's top seed when they begin defense of their state championship next Tuesday in a best-of-three series against North Cobb next Tuesdaivcy.
The Lady Cougars, who defeated the Campbell Lady Spartans 8-0 in an elimination game, will carry the region's number two seed and a 14-6 record into the playoffs when they host Kennesaw Mountain.
The Lady Indians threatened to score early against Lady Cougar starter Ansley Houston after one out in the bottom of the first inning as Carmen Prior singled and Kelley Lynch reached on an intentional walk.
However, Houston repeated her Houdini act from the previous evening to induce a 6-3 double play to end the frame.
The Lady Indians managed to get on the board in the bottom of the second inning as Ansley Gunter led off the frame by drilling an 0-2 offering from Houston over the left field fence for a solo home run.
With two outs in the inning and Olivia Cook on second and Katie Taylor on first, Lilly Agan singled to center field.
Cook attempted to score from second but Newnan center fielder Hailey Bloom threw a strike to catcher Alex Williams who applied a tag to Cook that ended the inning.
In the bottom of the third inning, EC was able to add to the lead as Lynch and Gunter were intentionally walked before a two out single by Caison Byars scored courtesy runner Jaliyah Holmes.
The Lady Indians needed some two out magic in the bottom of the fourth inning to get on the board as Agan reached base on a single, stole second and came home on a single by Prior.
In the top of the sixth inning, the Lady Cougars had an achievement against Lynch as they scored a run after being shutout in previous starts.
KK Madrey singled and Bloom reached on a walk before Lynch recorded an out and surrendered a single to Danielle Curlle that scored Madrey.
On the play, Bloom was tagged out at the plate as Byars threw a strike to catcher Caroline Lively who applied the tag and Lynch ended the frame with a strikeout.
The Lady Indians added a pair of insurance runs in the bottom of the frame as Taylor and Agan had consecutive doubles with Prior recording an RBI single.
In the top of the seventh inning, Lynch allowed Williams to reach on a single but retired the next three batters on strikeouts to end the game.
Lynch allowed three hits and four walks while recording 15 strikeouts for EC while Houston allowed 11 hits, five runs and five walks (four intentional) for Newnan.
Agan and Prior each went 3-for-4 at the plate for EC.

 

Lynch pitches and hits EC to victory with 13K and home run

Kelley Lynch did it again with a one hit 13 strikeout performance
on the pitching rubber to go along with a two-run home run as
East Coweta defeated Newnan 9-0. File Photo.

SHARPSBURG-Kelley Lynch was an important cog in the East Coweta Lady Indians attack with a home run at the plate and a one-hit, 13 strikeout performance Thursday night that led to a 9-0 victory over the Newnan Lady Cougars in the winners bracket of the Region 2-AAAAAAA Tournament.

The win improved the Lady Indians’ record to 23-2 on the season in a game that was called in the bottom of the fourth inning while Lady Cougars fell to 13-5 on the season.

Newnan will play in the elimination game at 4:30 on Thursday against Campbell who defeated Westlake 16-3 in four innings.

Lynch ran into a little trouble in the top of the first inning after retiring KK Madrey on strikes as Hailey Bloom singled and staring pitcher Ansley Houston walked but back-to-back strikeouts ended the threat and the inning.

In the bottom of the frame, the Lady Indians took the lead as Carmen Prior reached on a one out walk as Lynch provided all the runs she needed when she drilled a 2-2 offering over the left field fence for a two-run home run.

The Lady Indians had a chance to extend the lead after one out in the bottom of the second inning as Caroline Lively was hit by a pitch and Olivia Cook singled before Houston made like an escape artist as she induced a groundout and a strikeout to leave the runners stranded.

Houston had to give her best Houdini again the third inning as she was able to get out of a bases loaded jam and keep the 2-0 deficit in check.

Meanwhile, the first eight outs by the Lady Cougars via the strikeout by Lynch with the streak coming to an end when Bloom hit a flyball to left field in the top of the third inning.

In the final three innings, Lynch was involved in six of the outs as she recorded five strikeouts and snared a line drive off the bat of Madrey.

Through most of the game, Houston was pitching in and out of trouble but the bottom of the sixth inning became a Waterloo as the Lady Indians took advantage of miscues along with some big hits.

Lilly Agan led off when a shot into left field that became a triple and scored on an error when Prior hit a line drive to second.

Lynch was intentionally walked and after courtesy runner Jaliyah Holmes stole second, Cooper hit a ground ball that allowed Holmes to advance to third and eventually score on a single by Katie Taylor.

A throwing error allowed Ansley Gunter to advance to third and Taylor to second and both scored on a single by Ashleigh Griffin.

Lively reached on a walk and Cook followed with a single that allowed Griffin to score from second and the lead was 7-0.

Agan came to the plate for a second time in the inning and finished a 3-for-5 evening with a base hit that scored courtesy runner Macie Wiggins and Cook to end the game.