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.