Vidalia Sweeps Lamar Co.

The Indians softball team of Vidalia High School played a best-of-three series against Lamar County this week and swept the Trojans by the run rule in two games. Lamar came out of Region 3AA to face off with Vidalia in the first round of the State Playoffs. The wins move the Indians to 27-4 on the season.

Game 1

Bailey Holland was in the circle for the Indians in the the first game of the day, and she recorded 10 strikeouts on the day. She did have a rough start as Lamar put two runners on base with no outs in the top of the first inning. A double down the right field line put the Trojans on top 2-0 over VHS. Holland settled down and got out of the inning without allowing any more runs.

In the bottom of the first inning Emma Humphrey led off with a single, and then a walk to Holland put runners on first and second. Logan Mead came in to run for Holland, and Alli Taufmann walked to load the bases. Tymber Harris hit a single down the left field line to tie the game at 2-2. Madison Starr walked to load the bases, and then Jaynia Bobbitt walked to put VHS on top 3-2.

Rileigh Robinson walked, and then Ashtyn Braddy was hit by a pitch as VHS took a 5-2 lead. Humphrey walk as the Indians pulled out to a 6-2 lead, and then Lamar decided to make a pitching change.

VHS held in the top of the second inning and got back to work in the bottom half of the frame. Taufmann singled and took second on an error. Harris hit a shot for an RBI double, but VHS picked up a run to lead 7-2 heading to the top of the third inning.

Lamar again was shut down by Holland. In the bottom of the inning Robinson reached base on a bunt and took second on a fielder's choice. She came in to score on a hit by Holland. Tori Wright was hit by a pitch to put runners at first and second, and Taufmann hit the ball back up the middle with Robinson and Mead coming in to score for a 9-2 lead.

Lamar did add a run on a couple of solid hits in the top of the fourth inning to close the lead to 9-3, but that was all that they continued from page

could get. In the bottom of the frame VHS had Robinson and Braddy on base. Emma Thompson hit a double into left-center to score them and put VHS up 11-3. VHS held in the top of the fifth inning to win the game by the run rule, 11-3 in five innings.

Game 2

Starr was the pitcher for the Indians in the second game, and she recorded seven strikeouts on her day.

VHS were the visitors in the second game, and Braddy led off with a double. After two outs Wright walked, and then Taufmann singled to score Braddy and put VHS up 1-0. But that was all VHS got in the top of the first inning. Lamar did put a few runners on base, but a nice catch by Lydia Smith for the third out ended the threat. Starr and Smith got hits to get the Indians going in the top of the second inning. Menard, was running for Starr, came in to score on a hit by Robinson to put VHS up 2-0.

Braddy got an RBI hit, as did Humphrey and Holland to put VHS up 5-0. Harris and Starr added singles to put VHS up 8-0 over Lamar. Starr shut down Lamar in the bottom of the second inning. In the top of the third inning the Indians had two runners on base with just one out to force another pitching change. Holland was hit by a pitch to load the bases, and Wright came through with an RBI single giving VHS a 10-0 lead. Tau fman n hit into a f i e l d e r ' s choice, but that put the Indians on top 11-0. VHS didn't get anything going in the fourth or the fifth innings. Lamar picked up one run in the bottom of the fourth inning to make it 11- 1. VHS did not score in the fifth, but just needed to hold in the bottom of the frame to win by the run rule. Lamar came out swinging trying to keep the game alive and plated two runs, but VHS got the third out to end the game by the run rule, 11-3 with Jesslyn Collins catching the final out on a fly ball to right field. VHS took the win 11-3, just as they did in the first game.

With the series win the Indians move into the second round of the State Playoffs. This Thursday VHS will start a best-of-three series against the winner of the Worth County and Jefferson County series. Those two teams split their first two games with Worth winning Game 1, 6-3, and Jefferson taking Game 2, 4-2. They will play a deciding game on Tuesday after presstime.

Bailey Holland threw 10 strikeouts in Game 1 of the first round of the State AA Playoffs at home on Monday of this week.Photo by Mike Branch

Tori Wright got an RBI single in Game 2 of the best-of-three series against Lamar County.Photo by Mike Branch