Lady Jackets grind out region wins to boost playoff position
♦ Wins over Coahulla Creek, LaFayette add to Rockmart’s postseason hopes
The season has been promising for the Rockmart softball team, but head coach Steve Luke knows it’s been a grind for his players and coaches.
The Lady Jackets wrapped up a three- game week last week with a 2- 1 record and a chance to wrap up a spot in the Region 6- 3A championship series still in the cards.
Rockmart lost to Lakeview-Ft. Oglethorpe last Monday, 2- 0, but then picked up big wins over Coahulla Creek and LaFayette to close out the week.
“We haven’t really played up to our best yet. If that happens, man, it could be great,” Luke said following his team’s 6- 3 win over Coahulla Creek.
“And we’re still trying to get some girls going, relying heavily on young players, and then our older players to come through and be consistent. We’re just trying to do the little things. We’re playing one game at a
time, take the runs when we can get them and hold on.”
The Lady Colts came i nto Rockmart last Wednesday as the No. 1 team in Class 3A and tied for second with the Lady Jackets in the region.
Rockmart’s Emilee Register scattered seven hits and struck out seven while issuing just two walks, while leadoff hitter Alexis Teems provided the spark at the plate by going 3- for- 4 with two RBIs and two runs scored.
Register was 2-for-4 with leadoff double in the fourth and an RBI. Gracey Arnold had a tworun single in the third inning, and Maddie Owens posted an RBI double in the fourth.
Luke said the win was a huge one for his team as they find their footing in a new classification and new region.
“This region is tough. We’ve got some good teams that we’ve still have to play, so we’ve got to take it one game at a time and we just want a chance to play for the region title,” Luke said. “We, at times, aren’t playing our best ball, but we’re doing enough things right to win.”
Rockmart ( 15- 6, 10- 4 6- 3A) defeated LaFayette 5- 2 at home on Thursday. Sam Wolfe had three RBIs for the Lady Jackets, while Teems added two hits and Register struck out seven.
Rockmart was scheduled to host Ringgold on Monday before traveling to LFO on Tuesday for the final regular season game.
The team will then enter the region playoffs with the top two teams playing a three- game series to determine the No. 1 and No. 2 seeds for the state playoffs.
The third and sixth team in the region will play a threegame series, as well the fourth and fifth teams. The winners of those two series play a onegame series to determine the region’s No. 3 and No. 4 seeds in the state playoffs.