Calhoun offense leads way to fifth straight region title
The Calhoun seniors had two main goals coming into their final prep softball season – win their fourth straight region title and win their fourth straight state title. Well, they can check the first one off that list.
Behind a huge offensive performance, the Lady Jackets racked up 27 runs in a sweep of Ringgold in the Region 6-AAA Championship Series on Wednesday to earn their fifth straight region title overall and fourth straight for the six seniors on the roster.
Calhoun (31-1) set the tone early, scoring seven runs in the first inning of Game 1 on Wednesday before rolling to an 11-3 victory in five innings. They then followed that up by racking up 16 runs in Game 2 to pull off a 16-7 win in six innings in a little more competitive game.
“This was our goal and expectation to win Region, and the girls accomplished that by playing outstanding softball tonight,” said Calhoun coach Diane Smith. “We knew it would be a battle today with a good team like Ringgold, but the girls came out and out-hit them and outplayed them. My girls did a great job.
“Now, the only thing that will top five straight region titles is winning that fourth straight state title, and I have confidence in my team that we can do that.”
The Lady Jackets had contributions up and down the lineup in Game 1 with four players having multi-hit games and six different players driving in runs. Carlie Henderson went a perfect 3-for-3 with a double and two RBIs, and Jana Johns had two hits, including a two-run homer to lead the way. Ryan Brzozoski and Ashlyn Barnes each had two hits and an RBI, and Cassie Henderson added a solo homer. Maddie Bumgardner contributed a double, Chloe Rice had a hit and an RBI and Erin Barnes added a hit and scored two runs.
Torri Gaddis earned the win in Game 1, going five innings and giving up three runs on six hits.
Ringgold (16-12) scored all three of their runs in the fifth inning but couldn’t extend the game pass the frame due to the mercy rule. Kaylee Womack had a double and all three RBIs for the Lady Tigers in the loss, and Ally Ellis added two hits.
Game 2 was closer as Calhoun scored two in the first, once again coming on a two-run homer from Johns, but Ringgold rallied to tie it with two in the third. But the Lady Jackets offense took momentum right back with six in the fourth and then scored four more in the fifth and three in the sixth to put the game away.
Johns was huge again in the nightcap with a 3-for-5 night with two homers, five RBIs and three runs scored. She drove in seven combined in the two games and had five hits. Johns, one of the six seniors along with Barnes, Brzozoski, Rice, Cassie Henderson and Allie Jones, said she and her teammates were locked in for the series and winning a fourth straight region title has been their goal all season.
“It’s a great feeling,” said Johns, a South Carolina commit. “We’ve been working hard as a team all year and been working hard to get prepared for this series against Ringgold. We knew we had to be our best today.
“We’ve worked hard all four years to get to this point and have the success we’ve had. To win four straight region titles is a big accomplishment for us as seniors, and I’m pretty confident we can get four state titles in a row too. That’s our goal, and we have all the confidence in the world in our team from the offense to the defense to the pitching. But we can’t relax now. We’ve got to continue to play our best to win another state title.”
The leadoff pair of Barnes and Brzozoski also had a huge Game 2, combining for seven hits, eight RBIs and five runs scored. Barnes was 4-for-5 with a triple and four RBIs, and Brzozoski had three hits, including a double, four RBIs and three runs scored. Jones had two hits of her own, including a solo homer, Alaina Reece had a double and two RBIs and Tori Roper scored three runs.
Calhoun pitcher Kayla Watson earned the win despite running into a little bit of trouble in the middle innings. She went six and gave up seven runs (five earned) on 11 hits, but pitched a 1-2-3 sixth to finish the game off strong.
Ringgold’s offense showed more life in Game 2 as every player in the starting lineup recorded a hit. Ellis was 3- for- 4, Hannah Crosland had a two- run homer, Kayla Woody contributed a double and an RBI and Gracie Morrison added a hit and two RBIs. Kiana Dale also had a hit and two runs scored, and Shelby Cole added a double.
The Lady Jackets will now wait to learn their opponent for the first round of the Class AAA State Tournament, which they will host starting next Wednesday. They will play the No. 4 seed from Region 8- AAA. Ringgold will also be at home in the first round next Wednesday, hosting the No. 3 seed from 8-AAA.
Smith said she has no doubts about her team as they enter the state tournament with the ultimate goal in mind.
“I feel really good about our team,” said Smith. “This time next Wednesday, we’ll have two more wins, and we’ll go from there. We’ve got great leadership from our seniors who lead by example, and I have confidence in every single player on our team. We’ve got our sights set on Columbus.”