Vidalia & Lyons Take 1st & 2nd In 10U Softball

It was a battle of local teams for the GRPA State Championship in the 10U Softball Tournament held last week at Partin Park in Lyons. It came down to Lyons and Vidalia in the Championship Game with Vidalia taking the title. The tournament opened up with Lyons taking on Coffee County. It was a tough start for Lyons as they dropped the game 1-0, as they got sent into the losers' bracket.

Vidalia kicked off their tournament run with a big 23-0 win over Colquitt County. Vidalia followed that with a win over Wayne County, but they had to make a comeback to do so. Vidalia was down 10-6 going into the last inning. Vidalia scored four runs with two outs to tie the game at 10-10. Weather moved in and sent the game into a lightning delay for one hour. When the teams came back onto the field Vidalia held in the bottom of the final inning of regulation to send the game to extra innings. In the top of the first extra inning VRD scored eight runs to jump out to an 18-10 lead. Vidalia held in the bottom half to get the win, 18-11.

In the semifinals of the winners' bracket Vidalia faced off with Swainsboro. Vidalia had a 10-8 lead going to the last inning of the game. VRD gave up two runs in the top of the sixth inning as Swainsboro tied the game at 11-11. In the bottom of the last inning VRD loaded the bases and got a walk off hit by AJ Sikes to score Stone Garrett, winning the game 12-11. That moved Vidalia into the Championship Game.

Lyons was in the losers bracket and had to fight their way back. They won their next game, 20-2, over Warner Robins, and then defeated Colquitt County 12-4 to keep advancing. They won a close game in the next round in a rematch with Coffee County. Lyons came out on top 7-6.

Up next for Lyons was Wayne County, which Lyons defeated 7-4. That put LRD into the semifinals of the losers' bracket against Swainsboro. Lyons took care of business as they won the game, 12-8, to advance to the Championship against Vidalia.

In the title game Vidalia

VRD 10 U Softball State Champions – (L to R, Front): Cameron Phillips, Bailee Fondren; (Middle): Laurel Wells, James Owen, Annie Smith, AJ Sikes, Hope Williams, Dani Williams, Stone Garrett, Mila Sasser, Elizabeth Register, Quinn Driggers, Stevee Phillips; (Back): Coaches Sam Sapp, Deidra Boston, and Josh Owen.

LRD 10U Softball State Runner-up – (L to R, Front): Kylie Winge, Sophia Pye, Aspen Adams, Hayden Ennis, Kinsley Park, Anniston Hartley; (Middle): Kinsley Thomas, Blayce Bacon, Lilah Garbutt, Presley Mosley, Miley Smith, Bentlee Gardisser, Timber Kight; (Back): Coaches Michael Gardisser, Hunter Adams, and Derek Park. continued from page

controlled the game early, taking a quick 6-1 lead after two innings. After fourth inning Vidalia held a 10-3 lead over Lyons, but the game was far from over. Over the next two innings Lyons came storming back as they closed the lead to 10-9 in the top of the sixth inning, but VRD managed to get the third out to end the rally and claim the State Championship.

Vidalia came out on top 10-9 to win the Championship. Lyons had fought hard as they came back through the losers' bracket to take home second place. That gave all the hardware to local teams.