Ringgold firing on all cylinders as Columbus opener approaches

For the first time since they finished third in 2015, the Ringgold Lady Tigers are headed to Columbus for the Elite Eight. And they are going in style. Top-ranked Ringgold extended its winning streak to 20 consecutive games last Wednesday with a pair of shutouts against visiting Tattnall County. The Lady Tigers are now 4-0 in the state playoffs this season with all four victories coming by shutout.

Ringgold 8, Tattnall County 0

Ringgold jumped out early with half their runs coming in the bottom of the first inning. Riley Nayadley had an Rbi-double. Jade Gainer had an Rbi-single and Addi

Broome knocked in two runs with a single.

The visiting Lady Warriors hurt themselves in the third inning as a pair of errors led to two more Ringgold runs.

Then in the sixth inning, a one-out error set the table for Ava Raby, who absolutely mashed a walk-off, two-run homer over the scoreboard in left-centerfield to give her team the run-rule victory.

Amber Gainer was 2-for2 with a pair of stolen bases, while seven other Lady Tigers had one hit each. Kaylee Phillips pitched six strong innings, allowing just two hits and finishing with four strikeouts.

Ringgold 14, Tattnall County 0

The Lady Tigers, playing as the visiting team in the nightcap, got three runs in the second inning. One came on an Rbi-single by Autumn Green, Broome would come home on a wild pitch and Baileigh Pitts would deliver a sacrifice fly to plate the third run.

Shelby Cole belted her third homerun of the playoffs with a solo shot to lead off the third and Broome would drive in the second run of the inning with a groundout.

Then in the sixth inning, 14 batters would come to the plate for Ringgold. Nine of those batters would cross the plate on 10 hits as the Lady Tigers played station-to-station softball. Jade Gainer had the big hit of the inning with a two-run double. She finished 3-for-4 in the game.

Green also went 3-for-4, while Pitts, Broome, Caroline Hemphill and Taylor Layne had two hits each. Green and Nayadley each collected two RBIS.

Head coach Daniel Hackett credited his team’s patient approach with the bat.

“We’ve become a lot more disciplined at the plate,” he explained. “If you get us that

Courtney Couey, Ringgold Tiger Shots Shelby Cole (center) is all smiles after belting a solo homer in last week’s second round playoff series against Tattnall County. The Lady Tigers won 8-0 and 14-0 and will open play in Columbus on Thursday against Southeast Bulloch.