Softball: Lady Tigers start 1-0 in Region 6-AAA play
The Ringgold Lady Tigers opened the Daniel Hackett head coaching era on Saturday with a 9-6 home win over Sonoraville in the home, season and region opener.
Ringgold (1-0 overall, 1-0 in 6-AAA) scored three runs in the third inning and two in the fourth to grab a 5-0 lead, only to see the Lady Phoenix rally for four runs in the top of the fifth to cut into the lead.
Sonoraville (0-1, 0-1) would score the tying run in the sixth, but the Lady Tigers would tack on four more runs in the home half of the frame.
The Lady Phoenix would get its final run in the top of the seventh before freshman reliever Amber Gainer was finally able to slam the door.
Both teams racked up 11 hits each. Freshman Jade Gainer went 3-for-4 in her Ringgold debut, scoring a run, stealing a base and knocking in a run. Gillian Little was 2-for-4 with a double and drove in three, while Kaylee Womack had two hits, a stolen base, and RBI and a run scored.
Another freshman, Riley Nadadley, doubled and scored twice. Brooklyn Keith had a double and collected two RBIs, while pitcher Kaylee Phillips helped her own cause with an RBI.
Phillips threw six innings, allowing nine hits. She gave six runs, though only two were earned, and walked two in the win. Amber Gainer gave up two hits in her one inning of work.
Ringgold was slated to host Heritage in a make-up game on Monday at 5:55 p.m. On Thursday, they will entertain Calhoun at 5:55 before taking part in the LFO Invitational this weekend.
Ridgeland erupts to beat Dade
Ridgeland scored three runs in the top of the first inning on Wednesday, saw host Dade County rally to tie the game by the end of the second, but responded with eight unanswered runs in the third and fourth innings to beat the Lady Wolverines, 11-3, in the 2017 season opener.
The Lady Panthers retook the lead with two runs in the third, but exploded for six runs in the fourth to put the game away. The game ended after five innings on the run rule.
Ciera Foster swung the hottest bat, going 3-for-3 with a pair of RBIs and two runs scored, while her sister Kiera Foster was 2-for-3 with one RBI and two runs scored.
Katie Davis and Lanie Hicks each went 2-for-3, while Davis knocked in a run. Whitney Boehm doubled and drove in a team-high three runs, while Haley Sandridge had an RBI on a double.
Sophomore Hailey Carroll picked up her first win on the season, scattering seven hits in five innings. Carroll walked one, struck out two and gave up three earned runs.
Ridgeland (1-0) will be back in action this Tuesday, Aug. 15, as they open defense of their Region 6-AAAA championship at Gilmer. First pitch is slated for 5:55 p.m.
The Lady Panthers will host Heritage in a big early-season region game on Thursday at 5:55 and they will travel to Dalton this weekend for the Lady Cat Invitational at Heritage Point Park.
The LFO Lady Warriors finally got their 2017 softball season underway on Thursday afternoon at region powerhouse Calhoun.
LFO (0-1 overall, 0-1 in 6-AAA) put up solo runs in the top of the first and third innings to grab a 2-0 lead, but the Lady Jackets (2-0, 1-0) answered with four runs in the bottom of the third to take the lead. They later tacked on six in the bottom of the sixth to end the game on the run rule.
Shaniyah Jones scored both runs for the Lady Warriors and had one of their three hits. Chelsey Lindsay and Taylor Phillips also had singles for LFO. Phillips was credited with LFO’s lone RBI and she also stole a base.
Kourtney Morrison took the loss in the circle. She gave up eight hits and seven earned runs in 5.2 innings with two walks and four strikeouts. Both teams committed three errors each.
This week will be a busy one for the Red-and-White. The Lady Warriors were slated to host Haralson County on Monday (results were not available as of press time) and Adairsville on Tuesday before playing at Sonoraville on Thursday in three region contests. All three are slated for 5:55 p.m. first pitches.
LFO will then play at the Jack Mattox Complex on Friday and Saturday as it hosts the LFO Invitational.