COLUMBUS — Stephens County survived a wild second day of the state softball championships at the Olympic Softball Complex Friday to advance to the Class AAAA championship round.
Because of weather concerns on Saturday, the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) decided to add one game to the already busy schedule forcing consolation bracket teams to have to possibly win four games on Friday.
Stephens County was the only one of four area teams to come out on the other side. The Lady Indians opened the day with a 9-0 rout of Eastside and then knocked off Marist 5-0 in the second game to stay alive. The Lady Indians then finished off fellow 8-AAAA foe Madison County 7-2 and then, behind a a 15-strikeout performance from junior Emma Whitfield, they took out West Laurens 7-2 to advance to the championship round against Northside-Columbus.
Whitfield was a one-girl wrecking crew belting four home runs as well with Natalie Morgan hitting three bombs on the day.
But in Class AAAAA, Buford, the defending Class AAAAA state champion and 10-time defending state champ over four classifications, ran out of gas one game shy of the finals. The Lady Wolves beat Union Grove 6-5 in the first game and then used a 4-run first inning en route to a 5-3 win over fellow Region 8-AAAAA foe Walnut Grove in the second game. Buford continued the grueling day with a 5-1 win over Carrollton but apparently had little left in an 8-2 loss to Wayne County in the elimination semifinals.
In Class AA, Banks County took shutout wins over Bleckley County (9-0) and Armuchee (3-0) to stay alive. The Lady Leopards then beat Dodge County 2-1 before falling to fellow Region 8-AA foe Monticello 2-0 in the elimination semifinals.
In Class AAA, the season came to an end for Jackson County in a 6-4 loss to Cook County in the Lady Panthers first game of the day.
