SOFTBALL HOUNDS
After three games in as many days to begin the season, the Lady Greyhounds had a few days of practice to make adjustments and tweak some things.
To say that it paid off is an understatement. With a huge 10-2 win to open region play against Locust Grove and Thursday’s 17-1 rout of Eagles Landing sandwiched around a riveting 13-12 win in nine innings at Ace Charter, Jones County ended last week with a record of 3-3.
“We had a few days of practice, and they were able to make some adjustments,” Lady Greyhounds head coach Tripp Burt said. “They have a lot of heart and a lot of fight. There were times they could have gotten down and didn’t; that’s hard to teach.”
The victory against Locust Grove was especially key given that in most seasons, the Wildcats are frontrunners in the region and the state tournament. The Lady Greyhounds took control in that contest early, striking for three runs in the first inning and padding the advantage for seven runs in the third inning.
Kimber Kent had the big hit for Jones County, blasting a three-run homer with Rylie Faulk having a double and two RBIs. Myah Briscoe added two RBIs with Allie Miller and Ansley Pegg also driving in runs.
Pegg got the win, holding the Wildcats to five hits and two runs, rendering them scoreless through the first four innings.
“We’ve had lots of good games with them in the past. It’s good to go up there and score ten runs,” Burt said. “It feels good to start off on the right foot.”
Wednesday’s game against Ace, on the other hand, could not have been more different.
Jones County, which led early on a two-run homer by Tranasia Parker, rallied in the seventh to lead 4-3 before the Gryphons tied it to force extra innings. Even in the first of those extra innings, six runs and a grand slam by Leah Betts would not be enough to put the game away as Ace tied to 10-10 to force the game into the ninth inning. Betts’ two-out homer came following a Bailey Jackson double, a single by Parker and Allie Miller drawing a walk.
Paced by Kent’s and Faulk’s doubles, three ninth-inning runs moved the Lady Hounds in front. Jones County would have to withstand one more rally, getting the game-ending out on a play when an infield hit resulted in a sharp throw across the diamond at third base to tag out a Gryphon runner unable to retreat back to the base.
In a battle of pitching resilience on both sides, Cate Downey fought all the way to the ninth, scattering nine hits and allowing ten runs, four of which were earned.
“Games like this early in the season, that sets you up for later in the season,” Burt said.
The Lady Greyhounds, who made their home debut last Tuesday against Ola, continue region play on Thursday at Dutchtown with their next home game next Tuesday against Houston County.
