Ridgeland earns series victory against Pickens
The Ridgeland Lady Panthers faced Pickens in a threegame Region 7-AAAA series last week and dropped the opener before rallying to win the final two games of the set.
Pickens 10, Ridgeland 5
The Lady Panthers out hit the Dragonettes, 1310, in the first game of a Tuesday doubleheader in Rossville, but gave up nine runs in the top of the fifth inning as a 3-0 lead quickly evaporated.
Brianna Goldsmith went 3 for 4 at the plate. Makayla Cope was 2 for 2 with a pair of RBIs, while Anna Jenkins was 2 for 4 with two RBIs. Marianne Beliveau had two hits and scored once and Elly Barnes had a hit and was credited with an RBI.
Goldsmith gave up 10 hits and two walks in seven innings in the circle. She finished with four strikeouts, but was saddled with the loss.
Ridgeland 13, Pickens 3
The Lady Panthers collected 12 more hits in the nightcap. They led 7-0 after two innings and scored six more times in the fourth after Pickens had tightened things up with a three-run third inning.
Katie Wagner got the victory. She gave up three earned runs on six hits in five innings, finishing with one strikeout.
Goldsmith and Barnes had four RBIs each. Beliveau was 3 for 3 with three runs scored and Maggie Dickson went 2 for 4 with a double, two runs scored and three RBIs. Barnes and Dasia Watkins each had two hits. Barnes also added an RBI, while Maddie O’Toole chipped in with a double.
Ridgeland 5, Pickens 4
The Lady Panthers picked up their first region series victory of the season after squeezing out a Game 3 victory in Jasper on Thursday.
Watkins delivered a oneout single in the top of the seventh for what turned out to be the game-winning RBI. The Dragonettes made things interesting as they led off the bottom of the seventh with a triple, but Goldsmith induced a strikeout, an infield popup and a liner to center to strand the runner at third and seal the victory.
Goldsmith pitched six innings of relief. She allowed two earned runs on seven hits and two walks with eight strikeouts. Wagner started the game for the Lady Panthers, but was replaced after the first inning. She gave up an earned run on two hits and a walk.
Dickson was 2 for 3 with a run scored, a sacrifice and a stolen base. Goldsmith went 2 for 4 with two RBIs, while Cope and Beliveau each had a hit and an RBI for Ridgeland (8-11, 3-6).