Lady Jackets headed back to Columbus after sweep
The Calhoun Lady Jackets are headed back to their home away from home.
For the fourth straight season Calhoun will play in the Elite Eight in Columbus after a Class AAA State Tournament second- round sweep of Brantley County on Wednesday.
The Lady Jackets (351) used some dominant pitching, solid defense and timely hitting to roll to an 8-0 victory in Game 1 before using the same recipe for a an 11-1 win in Game 2 to clinch the trip to Columbus where they seek their fourth straight state title.
“I’m really excited, and I can’t wait to leave next Wednesday to get down there,” said Calhoun coach Diane Smith. “The time from now to next Wednesday is too long. I can’t wait to get on the bus and head to Columbus.
“The girls came out hit the ball well, the pitchers were outstanding and we played great defense. I couldn’t ask for more out of them. It was a great day for us.”
Calhoun will open play in the Elite Eight next Thursday against the winner of the Cook County-East Hall second-round series.
On Wednesday, the story of Game 1 was Calhoun starting pitcher Torri Gaddis, who tossed a perfect game to earn the win. She went all five innings in the mer- cy-rule shortened victory, faced 15 batters and retired all 15, including six strikeouts.
Gaddis said she came out focused from the beginning and just tried to lock in getting one hitter at a time.
“In the first round, I think I took it a little lightly, but today I was ready from the start of the game and tried to do what I always do. I just tried to get outs one at a time. I knew if I started thinking about a perfect game or no-hitter, I was going to jinx myself. But it feels awesome to accomplish that, and I’m ready to get to Columbus for us to make a run at the state title again.”
The offense started slower than it usually does in Game 1, but kicked into high gear late to put the game away. Calhoun scored three runs over the first four innings but put the game away with a fiverun fifth, which ended with a Cassie Henderson sac fly.
Henderson also had a solo homer and a double in Game 1. Ashlyn Barnes was 3-for-3 from the leadoff spot with a double an RBI and two runs, Jana Johns had a two-run homer and Ryan Brzozoski had two hits, including a double, and two RBIs. Erin Barnes added an RBI, and Maddie Bumgardner and Carlie Henderson each had a hit and scored a run.
Game 2 featured another great outing in the circle by a Calhoun pitcher as Kayla Watson pitched the five- in- ning complete game for the win. She gave up one run on three hits while striking out two. Neither Watson or Gaddis allowed a walk on Wednesday.
“Both of my pitchers did a great job today, and they have been really great lately not giving up walks,” said Smith. “Torri has come close this year to pitching a perfect game, but she was right on today. She had their number. And Kayla was outstanding as well. Our defense played well behind them too. Last week we had a few errors that are uncharacteristic of us, but today we had it all together.”
Offensively, the Lady Jackets got off to a quick start in Game 2 scoring six runs over the first two innings. They added three more in the third and two in the fifth to force the mercy rule.
Johns added another mammoth two-run homer in Game 2 and also had another hit to total three RBIs in the clinching victory.
Brzozoski had two more hits, an RBI and three runs scored in Game 2, Barnes and Allie Jones each had a hit and an RBI, and Chloe Rice drove in two runs. Bumgardner also had an RBI, and Tori Roper and Carlie Henderson both stole two bases and scored a run.
Brantley County (169) got their lone run of the series in the fourth inning of Game 2 on a solo homer by Whitley Fabrizio. Kinsley Dowling and Fabrizio had the only other two hits for the Lady Herons in their season-ending losses.
Brzozoski, one of six seniors for Calhoun, said going back to Columbus is something her and her teammates has been aiming for all season.
“It means a lot to us,” said Brzozoski. “The other seniors and really the whole team has a good bond, and we know what we can do. I think we can go down to Columbus and finish it with another state title. That’s what we’ve had in our heads all season, and we’re going to do it no matter what it takes.”
The two wins on Wednesday pushed Smith’s career win total to 650.
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