Toombs Wins Over Oglethorpe In 3 Games
It was a big week for the Toombs County High School softball team as they upset the #1 seed out of Region 4AA in the first round of the GHSA State AA Playoffs. Toombs dropped the first game of the best-of-three series to Oglethorpe County, but bounced back with a win in Game 2, both on Tuesday. On Wednesday in Game 3 the Bulldogs got some final inning heroics to take the lead and hold on to win the series to advance to the Sweet 16. All three games were at Oglethorpe in Lexington.
Game 1
Toombs kept it close in the first game of the series. Toombs put the first runs of the game on the board in the top of the second inning off an RBI double by Brinley Miller that brought in one run. Toombs added a second run in the inning to take a 2-0 lead over the Patriots. In the bottom of the fourth inning Oglethorpe picked up a run to close the lead to 2-1, but in the fifth inning the Patriots went on a run as they put six more runs on the board. The first two of those coming off a fielder's choice.
Toombs did manage to add two runs to their total in the top of the seventh inning, but it was not enough as they fell in Game 1, 7-4. Miller, Nora Grace Mercer, Krista Cantwell, and Casey Cantwell all had RBI's in the game.
Game 2
TCHS bounced back in the second game of the series. Oglethorpe took the early lead with a run in the top of the second inning. In the bottom of the fifth inning TCHS got things going as they put several hits together and plated four runs. That put the Bulldogs on top 4-1, and they never looked back. Toombs added three more runs in the sixth inning to push their lead to 7-1. The Patriots did score one run in the seventh inning, but Toombs took the win, 7-2. TCHS was led by Mercer with two hits and 2 RBI's, Casey Cantwell added 2 RBI's, as did Aniston Powell. Casey Cantwell got the win in the circle.
Game 3
Game 3 was on Wednesday, and it was a battle. Oglethorpe scored the first run of the game in the bottom of the first inning on a fielder's choice for a 1-0 lead. Toombs came back and took the lead in the top of the fourth inning with two runs on a hit by Kassidy Brantley. Oglethorpe tied the game in the fifth inning at 2-2 on another fielder's choice. The defenses for both teams played well in this game, keeping it low scoring. In the top of the seventh inning with their final chance, Toombs came through. With runners on base Riley Lumley came to the plate and connected with the first pitch for an RBI single. That put TCHS on top 3-2 over the Patriots. The TCHS defense and pitcher Casey Cantwell held in the bottom of that final inning to secure the 3-2 win, and give the Bulldogs the series win to advance to the Sweet 16. This week on Tuesday after presstime the Bulldogs played the first two games of a best-ofthree series against the Panthers of Union County. Game three, if needed, will be held on Wednesday. Toombs had to travel to all the way to Blairsville for the series, which is almost to the Tennessee line. Toombs is now 17-13 on the season while Union County is listed at 11-9 for the year and are the #3 seed out of Region 8AA. Union defeated Pace Academy in the first round of the playoffs.
