SUWANEE — South Forsyth didn’t look a gift horse in the mouth.

The Lady War Eagles scored two runs on a key error by Duluth Thursday at Collins Hill, securing a 3-1 win in the Region 7-AAAAA tournament and  the No. 3 seed in the state playoffs.

South went on to suffer a 9-4 loss to Peachtree Ridge.

“When you can make it out this region it really makes a statement,” South coach Ronnie Davis said.

“[There] has been great representation out of our region in the past, and I [think] we will be a good representative in the next rounds.”

Tied 1-1 against Duluth in the top of the sixth, South loaded the bases thanks to a bunt single by Kaylyn Young sandwiched between a pair of walks to Jenna Quinn and Alexa Ditmar.

The Lady Wildcats rang up back-to-back strikeouts and appeared to be headed out of the jam, but following the second strikeout, catcher Sam Martin’s attempted pick off at third base turned into a critical error.

The ball sailed over the third baseman and into left field, allowing both Quinn and Young to score as the left fielder struggled to field the ball.

Duluth brought the tying run to the plate with no one out in the seventh, but Ditmar retired the next three Wildcats to end the game.

Davis said he had never seen a game decided on that type of play.

“Somebody said, ‘You got lucky right there,’ and I said, ‘I guess that depends on what your definition of lucky is,’” Davis said.

“My definition of lucky is being prepared, when an opportunity arisises, for the ball to bounce your way.

“At this point in time it doesn’t matter how you win, it’s just [about] finding a way to win.”

The Lady War Eagles begin the state tournament on the road Tuesday against the Lady Longhorns at Kell High School in Marietta.

Central earns No. 2 seed

ATLANTA — In most softball games, players, coaches and fans reserve their excitement for runs.
When Forsyth Central visited Marist for the Region 6-AAAA championship, even a hit was enough to send the crowd into frenzy.

Marist pitcher Lori Spingola kept the Bulldogs’ excitement to a minimum, though, ringing up a total of 34 strikeouts in the Lady War Eagles’ 1-0 and 4-0 victories over Central Thursday.

“She makes people look foolish, who haven’t looked foolish all year,” said Central coach Bill Richardson.

“If you blink in this game, you end up losing. Well, we blinked two times.”

Game one came down to the wire.

After a scoreless, two-hit six and a half frames, Marist prevented extra innings on a sacrifice fly by Ashlyn Johns that sent Kaycee Gallup home for the unearned walk-off run.

“In the first game in particular, it was the same as the first time we played Marist,” said Richardson. “It was just a matter of who blinks first … and they got a big hit late.”

Game two wasn’t quite as close.

Spingola began the bottom of the fifth with a triple, and found home plate on a single by Amalie Erwood, setting Marist on top 1-0.

Gallup, Johns, and Spingola each drove in an RBI in the bottom of the sixth, giving the Lady War Eagles their final three runs.

The Lady Bulldogs consolation prize was a second place region finish and the number two seed in the state tournament.

Central begins its state tournament run next Tuesday on the home diamond.

“Our pitching is going to be there, [and] our defense is strong,” said Richardson.

“[If we] start putting the ball in play and putting a little pressure on the other side’s defense we’ll be alright.
Somebody’s going to have to play pretty well to beat us twice”

The Lady Bulldogs open the state tournament at home Tuesday against the Lady Colonels of Cass.