Heritage rallies to sweep Cedartown
Top- ranked Heritage jumped out to a pair of 5-0 leads against sixth-ranked Cedartown last Tuesday and went on to sweep a doubleheader from the Lady Bulldogs in Cedartown before rallying for a Game 3 victory in Boynton on Thursday.
Heritage 10, Cedartown 0
Generals’ ace Rachel Gibson was spotted a five-run advantage before she even threw her first pitch of the game as the Navy-and-Red pounded out 13 hits in the Game 1 victory.
Riley Kokinda was 3 for 5 with three runs scored and three runs batted in. Zoe Wright, Carmen Gayler and
Madeline Stone had two hits apiece, while Gayler picked up an RBI. Stone, Gibson and Morgan Phillips were each credited with two RBIs.
Gibson scattered three hits over seven innings and struck out 15 Cedartown hitters without issuing a walk.
Heritage 6, Cedartown 4
Gayler belted a two-run homer in the top of the first inning and Heritage tacked on three more runs in the top of the second, but had to hang on to secure the sweep of the twinbill.
Gayler finished 2 for 4, including a double, with three RBIs. Kokinda and Wright each had two hits and one RBI, while Kokinda also swiped three bases. Gracie Dawson added a double and Sarah
Haynes collected an RBI.
Brinley Horner threw the first four innings and got the victory in the circle. She gave up six hits and one walk to go with just one earned run and she finished with one strikeout. Avah Morrison allowed three earned runs on three hits in 1.2 innings of work, while Kelsey Anderson worked 1.1 innings of scoreless, hitless ball.
Heritage 6, Cedartown 5
Down to their final at-bat, the Generals rallied for a pair of runs in the bottom of the seventh and stayed unbeaten in 7-AAAA.
The ninth-ranked Lady Bulldogs would push home a run in the top of the seventh
to take a 5-4 lead, looking to pull the upset and they were an out away as the first two Heritage hitters of the inning would return to the dugout after infield pop-ups.
But Bailey Davis was hit by a pitch and Harper Carstens reached on an error to get the rally going. Dawson then drew a walk to load the bases for Lexi Duckett, who sent the first pitch she saw into left field to bring in Davis and Carstens with the tying and winning runs.
Carstens went 3 for 4, scored twice and drove in a run. Duckett finished 2 for 4 with a run scored. Savannah Wilson had two hits, scored once and drove in a run. Wright picked up an RBI and Gayler had a double.
Horner threw the first two innings. She gave up three earned runs and a walk with two strikeouts. Anderson allowed one earned run in two innings of relief before Gibson was brought in to close it out. Gibson gave up one earned run in three innings and struck out three batters. She was also credited with the victory for Heritage (111, 6-0).