Pickens locks up No. 1 seed in 7-AAA

GAINESVILLE - The Pickens County girls softball team survived another scare to beat Chestatee in eight innings and locked up the No. 1 seed going into the Region 7-AAA Tournament.

The Nettes scored eight runs in the top of the eighth inning to pull away for a 9-1 win Thursday.

Pickens (18-11, 9-1 in region) will open the 7-AAA Monday at Lanier Point Park against at yet to be determined opponent. The region bracket is expected to be announced Friday or Saturday.

The Nettes took a quick 1-0 lead in the first and made that stand up until the the seventh when the Lady War Eagles (7-22, 3-7 in region) tied the game on a misplayed fly ball by Pickens.

Jenna Padgett of Pickens and Chestatee's Julie Garchow put on a pitching clinic through the first seven innings.

Padgett went the distance striking out 12 and allowing just two hits. Garchow was equally as dominating until getting rocked for eight runs in the eighth inning. Garchow eventually gave up 11 hits, five in the final inning and walked just one one strikeout one for the game.

In the eighth inning, Meagan Stephens singled putting runners at second and third. Lindsey Logan then doubled in two runs and then scored on a double by Jordyn Hammontree. Then, courtesy runner Whitney Shirley and Padgett, who was hit by a pitch, then scored on a triple by Robbi Brown.

A Mary Alice Jasperse single drove in Brown and Brittany Sutton, running for Jasperse, scored on a Sarah Pinson double. Pinson scored on a ground out by Kimberly McDaris.

The top hitters for Chestatee were Kayla Taylor who was 2-for-3 and Cortney Poole was 1-for-3 with an RBI.