Heritage advances, rips Cedartown

The regular season may be over, but the torrid hitting continued for the Heritage Generals this past Wednesday.

The Navy-and-Red racked up 23 more hits and scored 16 more runs in a 6-1, 10-0 doubleheader sweep of visiting Cedartown that moved Heritage into the Sweet 16 round of the Class AAAA state tournament.

First baseman Katie Proctor had a big day at the plate, driving in two runs in the opener, before knocking in four runs in the nightcap. All four came on a grand slam blast to the deepest part of the park to break open a tight game in the top of the seventh.

Meanwhile, senior Taelyn Bates kept the Lady Bulldogs at bay with a four-hitter in Game 1 before freshman Rachel Gibson handcuffed Cedartown in Game 2. The Region 6-AAAA Co-Pitcher of the Year followed up her six-inning, 15-strikeout perfect game against top-ranked Northwest Whitfield in the region tournament on Oct. 5 with another six-inning no-no on Wednesday, fanning six and walking just two.

Proctor’s groundout in the bottom of the first inning plated Bailey Christol with the first run of Game 1 and Heritage would give Bates some breathing room with a five-spot in the third.

Ansley Bice got things going with a oneout double and Madi Morris would deliver an RBI-single. Proctor later sent a flare to shallow rightfield for another RBI and Reagan Armour would reach after beating out an infield hit. Mallory Lowe drove in another run with a single before Ashley Faulkenberry hit a two-run single to right-center.

Cedartown would finally push home a solo run in the top of the sixth, but errorless ball by Heritage, including sparkling defensive gems by Lowe, Proctor and Armour, helped keep the Lady Bulldogs from getting back in the game.

Armour had three of Heritage’s nine hits, while Lowe was 2-for-3. Bates walked two and allowed just one earned run. She finished with three strikeouts.

A two-run top of the third gave the Generals the lead in the second game before the wheels would come off for Cedartown in the top of the sixth. Proctor’s shot would be the key hit in an eight-run frame that helped close the book on the Lady Bulldogs’ season.

Proctor had two more hits, while Christol was 3-for-3 from the leadoff spot and scored twice. Bice was 2-for-4 with a double, a triple and three RBIs, while Lowe went 2-for-3 with a double and a pair of runs driven in.

Up next for fifthranked Heritage (22-8) will be a visit from sixth-ranked Madison County, who cruised past Blessed Trinity, 6-0 and 5-0, in their opening round series. The Generals will enter the game having won eight games in a row.

A doubleheader will begin at 4 p.m. on Wednesday, while Game 3, if needed, would be played at 4 p.m. on Thursday.