The Lady Greyhounds began the season last week with a pair of region wins, coasting by McDonough 18-0 on Tuesday and 10-2 against Hampton on Thursday.
And as important as that pair of region wins were going into this past Tuesday’s game against Locust Grove, the toughest challenge arguably came outside of region play on Wednesday against Perry, a AAAA Elite 8 team a season ago.
The Lady Hounds fought back multiple times, pushing across multiple runs in the bottom of the seventh to win 11-10.
“They were an Elite 8 team last year and have a lot of that core back. They’re a quality opponent, and our girls showed up,” Lady Greyhounds head coach Tripp Burt said.
Tranasia Parker, whose three-run homer got the Lady Greyhounds on track, ended up capping off the late rally in the seventh inning as Jones County applied offensive pressure by way of Parker drawing a basesloaded hit-by-pitch to score Ella Jenkins for the game-winning run.
“We had good at-bats and fought for each other,” Burt said. “They stayed in it and did some good things.” Down 10-6 entering the final inning, JCHS got to work, putting runners on base before an Allie Miller infield hit trimmed the Perry advantage to 10-8. Jenkins followed with a bloop single, bringing in Myah Briscoe to cut the Panthers lead to 10-9.
Sydney Hawkins would later ensure the impact of a patient approach at the plate, walking on a 3-2 pitch to score Miller, tying the game before the game-winning JCHS at-bat.
Jones County opted to put the ball in the hands of its two sophomore pitchers against the Panthers.
Instead of putting the more experienced Cate Downey or Ansley Pegg in the pitcher’s circle, the Lady Greyhounds instead gave sophomore, Kaleigh Scarborough, the start.
Ensley Barnes came along in relief around the halfway mark after Scarborough appeared to be experiencing leg cramps, but kept JCHS in position to win it in the end.
“When you get in pressure situations, you find who has the grit and resilience,” Burt said.
