Red-hot Heritage headed back to Elite Eight

It’s been three years since the Heritage Generals last took the field for an Elite Eight game in Columbus. That will all change on Thursday. For the first time since they finished third back in 2015, the No. 7-ranked Generals will make the long drive to the Fountain City and will do so with lofty goals in mind.

“We have an opportunity in front of us,” head coach Tanner Moore said after his team took down No. 4-ranked Central-carroll, 2-1 and 12-0, in Boynton last Wednesday. “The girls understand what they just accomplished and they’ve worked their tails off to get in this spot. It’s been tough the last couple of years, but I’m very proud of them. We’re focused and we’re ready to go.”

Heritage’s Rachel Gibson and Cen- tral’s Micah Harris battled each other for seven innings in the opener.

Gibson was staked to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Katie Proctor led off with a single before Carmen Gayler doubled to put two runners in scoring position. Proctor was awarded home as Harris was called for an illegal pitch and Gayler, who also moved third on the call, scored moments later on a Mallory Lowe sacrifice fly.

That would be the only runs of the ball game until the top of the seventh when Taylor Stevens led off with a triple for the Lady Lions before scoring on a groundout by Ava Tyson. But Gibson would get an infield pop-up and one final strikeout to seal the victory. She allowed just three hits in the game and finished with nine K’s.