COLUMBUS, Ga. — Buford is one win from back-to-back state titles while Banks County will have to win three times on Saturday to win its first state title since 2018.
Buford held off East Coweta 3-2 in 8 innings to move into the championship round of the Class 7A softball playoffs on Friday.
Banks County fell 2-1 to Appling County in the Class 2A semifinal round.
The Lady Wolves (31-0) had to battle back from an early 2-0 deficit after East Coweta got a two-run homer from Addie Joiner in the first inning.
Buford pitcher Caroline Stanton cut the East Coweta lead in half with a lead-off home run in the second, her 8th of the season.
The game turned into a pitching duel from there between the Lady Indians’ Jada Savage and Stanton. But Buford Sophomore Addie Rackley tied it at 2 in the fifth with her 5th home run of the season.
East Coweta had a chance to win the game in the bottom of the seventh, loading the bases with only one out. The Lady Wolves, however, got a double play when the Lady Indians' Payton Roberson flied out to center, and Buford senior Tavye Borders gunned down a runner at home trying to score.
In the top of the 8th inning, Buford senior Madison Pickens fought off nine pitches from Savage before she drilled her 19th home run of the season to give the Lady Wolves a 3-2 lead.
East Coweta didn't go quietly however. The Lady Indians got the winning run on base with two outs but Stanton struck out the final batter to seal the win.
Buford will await the winner of the East Coweta-Brookwood elimination game. The finals will begin at 1 p.m.
For Banks County, Appling County scored two runs in the first and made that stand up against the Lady Leopards (24-6).
Banks County managed just two hits but could not take advantage of four Appling County errors. The Lady Leopards left five runners stranded in scoring position and had a runner thrown out at home on a force play.
The Lady Leopards will take on Jeff Davis at 11 a.m. in the consolation bracket looking to keep their season alive.
