COLUMBUS, Ga. — Buford moved into the championship round of the Class 7A state finals with a thrilling 2-1 win over East Coweta on Thursday at the Olympic Softball Complex.
Madison Pickens knocked in the winning run in the top of the seventh and senior Olivia Duncan (12-1) finished off the complete-game effort in the circle for the win. Duncan scattered four hits and struck out two.
Buford (31-1) next will take on cross town rival and 2021 state champion North Gwinnett on Friday at 5 p.m. The Lady Bulldogs beat Hillgrove, 6-1, to advance.
The Lady Wolves struck first with a run in the second on a wild pitch from the Lady Indians’ Savage Robinson. East Coweta evened things up in the bottom of the fifth inning on a Bailee Echols RBI single following a Buford error.
Robinson also went the distance surrendering just five hits and fanning 14 Buford batters.
Tavye Borders had two of Buford’s five hits.
East Forsyth could not advance into the championship round in Class 4A, falling 6-0 to Central-Carroll. The Lady Broncos next will play Whitewater at 1 p.m. on Friday in the elimination bracket needing a win to stay alive.
And in Class 2A, Union County was knocked out of the tournament with a 5-0 loss to ACE Charter in the elimination bracket.
