Giant-killers: Gordon Lee goes 4-0 at Trojan Slam
The Gordon Lee Lady Trojans stayed unbeaten in Region 6-1A play with a 9-0, six-inning victory at Mt. Zion-Carroll this past Thursday.
Gordon Lee scored in every inning but the first, putting up solo runs in the second and fourth, three runs in the third and two runs in the fifth and sixth to end the game on the run rule.
Canaan Burnett threw five innings and struck out six batters, while Janie Durham worked the sixth and fanned two. Together, they combined on a one-hitter.
Burnett also went 2 for 3 at the plate with a double. Gracey Kruse had two hits, including a triple, and drove in a pair of runs, while Faith Alexander, Paxton Grimes, Mary Kate Pritchett and Katherine Grace McElhaney each had one RBI.
Lady Trojans go 4-0 in Carrollton
Head coach Dana Mull has never been one to shy away from competition.
Over the years, she has put her Lady Trojans up against some of the biggest and best programs in the state, and more often than not, her teams have come out on top.
This past weekend was no exception.
Playing in the Trojan Slam tournament in Carrollton, Gordon Lee — the top-ranked team in the Class 1A Public School division — showed why they are one of the premier softball programs in the state by taking down four higher classification teams, including two that are currently state-ranked.
Mull said playing in tournaments like this one, and Gordon Lee’s own SCORE International Invitational in Chattanooga this upcoming weekend, allows her team to begin prepping for the region stretch drive and for state tournament play.
“We go to these hoping to get games against good competition, and hopefully pick up some wins for the (Class 1A) power rankings,” she explained. “It gives us a chance to get better and to see some good pitching. When you play multiple games on multiple days, whether you win or lose, it helps you get into a rhythm.
“Fortunately, we were able to come out of it with four wins, and hopefully playing backto-back tournaments will really get us going because it’s already getting close to playoff time.”
Gordon Lee 4, Newnan 3
The Lady Trojans’ first test of the weekend came on Friday afternoon against the Class 7A Lady Cougars and Gordon Lee would use the long ball to pick up the win.
Kruse belted a tworun homer in the top of the first inning and Burnett would add a solo shot later in the frame to stake the Lady Trojans to a lead they would not surrender.
Kruse finished 3 for 4, while Alexander was 2 for 4. Burnett struck out two in 2 1/3 innings of work, while Durham pitched the final 4 2/3 innings and kept Newnan hitters off balance. She also finished with two strikeouts.
Gordon Lee 5, Chapel Hill 0
The Lady Panthers came into the contest as the No. 1-ranked team in the latest Class 4A state poll, but the Navyand-White would erupt for five runs in the third inning. Grimes blasted a three-run homer and Kruse knocked in two runs to give Burnett all the run support she would need.
The junior allowed just two hits and struck out 10 batters in Friday night’s seven-inning, complete-game win. Kruse finished 2 for 3 to pace the offense.
Gordon Lee 5, South Paulding 3
Facing the Class 6A Lady Spartans on Saturday, Grimes and McElhaney both went 2 for 3 with an RBI in the win as Gordon Lee jumped out in front with four
runs in the first inning.
Burnett and Pritchett also had RBIs in the victory. Burnett started the game in the circle and came back in later to finish up. She had nine strikeouts in 5 2/3 total innings pitched. The game was called after six innings due to the time limit.