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.