ECM takes middle school softball title

The East Coweta Indians display their trophies after winning
the Coweta County Middle School title. Photo by Marie Roberson

The East Coweta Indians scored four runs in the bottom of the third inning to defeat the Madras Eagles 6-3 and claim the Coweta County Middle School championship Saturday at Whitlock Park.

The Indians, who went 8-0 during the regular season, defeated Arnall 15-6 and Lee 15-0 earlier in the day to advance to the final while the Eagles defeated Arnall 8-2 and Newnan 8-0 on their route.

Payton Roberson allowed four hits and 
recorded five strikeouts against Madras.
Photo by Marie Roberson.

In the championship game, the Eagles scored first as Journey Jackson singled and advanced around the bases before coming home when Kaylee Woodring grounded out to first.

The Indians tied the game in the bottom of the frame as Payton Roberson came home on a two out single by Kylee Cooper.

Madras reclaimed the lead in the top of the second inning as Madilyn Breaux reached on an infield error and eventually came home when McKayla Carley grounded out to short stop Baylor Mikell.

East Coweta tied the game again in the bottom of the inning as Brooklyn Fisher singled and eventually scored on an RBI single by McKinley Johnson.

The Indians took the lead in the bottom of the third inning as Mikell was hit by a pitch, Roberson walked and after a sacrifice bunt by Addi Joiner, Cooper was hit by a pitch to load the bases.

Brooklyn Fisher followed with as single that scored Mikell and courtesy runner Maddie Linden to give EC a 4-2 lead while an error in the outfield allowed Cooper and Fisher to come home and close the scoring.

Madras tried to rally in the top of the fourth inning as Gracie Lowe scored on a one out single by Breaux, but they were stopped after a pair of strikeouts.

On the pitching front, Roberson allowed four hits and recorded five strikeouts while her opponent in the circle was effective as Tyla Davidson allowed four hits with a strikeout that culminated a day in which she pitched in four games.

Two seemed to be the number for the Indians as Fisher went 2-for-2 at the plate with two runs scored and two RBIs while several teammates reached base twice.

The day did not start well for the Indians as they spotted the Arnall Knights six runs in the top of the first inning of the opening game.

Gaby Gopie led off the game with a single while errors allowed Sydney Stubbs and Catoline Stitz to reach base and Gopie to score.

After Hailee Vance reached base, Aralyn Scarbrough had a one out, two run single to give Arnall a 3-0 while a walk ro Makenzly Greene was followed by a bases clearing double by Hayden Chaffin. 

The Indians came back in the bottom of the inning with five runs that cut the margin to one.

Hanna Monnin reached on an infield error while Roberson and Joiner had consecutive one out singles that loaded the bases.

A walk to McKenna Holmes scored Monnin while a two-run single by Cooper and a two-run triple by Fisher accounted for the other runs.

In the bottom of the second inning, the first two Indians were retired before Roberson tripled and scored on an outfield error to tie the game at 6-6.   

Joiner singled and Holmes walked before Cooper struck with an RBI single that gave the Indians the lead.

An error as well as RBIs by Monnin and Joiner culminated a 10-run frame for the Indians.

Roberson pitched two innings of relief that held the Knights with four strikeouts.

Tyla Davison of Madras slides into second base during the Eagles
game against the Arnall Knights. Davison pitched all of the games
for Madras on Saturday. Photo by Paula Stubbs

As for the Eagles path to the final game,  it began with Davison allowing three hits to the Cougars in the 8-0 win.

Kelly Nalin opened the game by reaching on an error and scoring a run as Woodring grounded out.

In the second inning, Breaux led off with a single and advanced to second on a wild pitch before scoring on a triple by Katelyn Pataluna who came home on a two out triple by Carley.

The Eagles added a run i\n the top of the third as Macie Smith walked and scored on a force play and in the top of the fifth inning added four more runs as Woodring added to her RBI total with a two run single.

in her stint in the circle, Davison recorded eight strikeouts.

In the win over Arnall, Madras scored a run in the first while a triple and RBIs by Jackson and Woodring were part of a four run second inning.

A two-run single by Woodring was part of a three-run third.

Arnall scored a run in the first as Stubbs scored on a single by Vance and added another in the second as Aralyn Scarbrough scored on a wild pitch.

Davison allowed three hits and recorded four strikeouts in the game.