Ridgeland swept by Central in top 10 showdown

The Ridgeland Lady Panthers traveled all the way to Carroll County last Tuesday and found the going a bit rough as they dropped both ends of a Region 7-AAAA doubleheader to the Lady Lions of Central-Carroll. Central then rallied for a win on Thursday to complete the sweep.

Central 7, Ridgeland 0

In last Tuesday’s opener, Dasia Watkins had a single to account for the lone hit of the game for the visitors.

Brianna Goldsmith gave up five earned runs on six hits and a walk in two innings in the circle. She finished with two strikeouts before giving way to Katie Wagner. Wagner allowed four hits and one walk in four innings. She allowed two earned runs and had two strikeouts.

Central 4, Ridgeland 0

The Lady Lions scored three times in their final two at-bats of the nightcap to secure the doubleheader sweep.

Ridgeland had five hits total, two by Goldsmith, including a double, along with singles by Maggie Dickson, Maddie O’Toole and Anna Jenkins.

Wagner went the distance in the circle. She pitched all six innings, allowing three earned runs on seven hits and two walks.

Central 5, Ridgeland 4

The Lady Panthers, ranked No. 10 in Class AAAA by the Atlanta Journal-Constitution and Score Atlanta last week, dropped the final game of their series to Central Thursday night in Rossville as the No. 3-ranked Lady Lions rallied late for a victory.

Ridgeland (6-10, 1-5) took a 3-0 lead in the first inning on back-to-back home runs. Marianne Beliveau hit a tworun shot to centerfield before Goldsmith got one over the fence in left.

Central cut into the lead with two runs in the top of the fourth, but Ridgeland got a two-out RBI-double by Elly Barnes to add to its lead. However, the Lady Lions scored twice in the top of the fifth and once in the top of the sixth before holding the Lady Panthers at bay the rest of the way.

Beliveau was 2 for 3 with two runs scored and two RBIs, while Watkins, Jenkins and Jenna Morgan all had singles. Wagner pitched the first 4.2 innings, allowing one earned run on seven hits and two walks. Goldsmith threw the final 2.1 innings, giving up one earned run on two hits and a walk with two strikeouts.