FORSYTH — The Stephens County softball team swept past Mary Persons in the two teams' best-of-three second round state playoff series on Wednesday in Forsyth to claim a spot in the Class AAAA championship tournament in Columbus.
The Lady Indians won 6-1 and 6-5 to earn their invite to Columbus, with Game 2 featuring numerous lead changes between the two programs.
Stephens County held firm in extra innings of Game 2 after jumping in front in the eighth.
The Lady Indians were led by Natalie Morgan's hitting. Morgan went 2-for-4, drove in one and scored one run. She homered in the first inning and singled in the third inning.
Emma Whitfield got the win for the Stephens County, allowing four runs over eight innings. She struck out six, walked one and surrendered eight hits.
In the bottom of the first, the Lady Indians Varsity grabbed the early lead, 1-0. A solo blast by Morgan started the inning off.
After posting one run in the sixth, the Lady Bulldogs scored one more in the eighth.
It was an exciting finish after a dominating performance in Game 1 by Stephens County.
Whitfield crushed a two-run home run, while Ashton Ayers had two extra base hits to get the Lady Indians rolling in the series opener.
Whitfield also struck out seven hitters en route to the win in the pitching circle. She allowed just one earned run, three hits and no walks over six innings.
Stephens County did not relinquish the lead after scoring one run in the third on an RBI single by Karly Smith.
The state championships begin next week (Oct. 27) in Columbus.
