The Gilmer Lady Cats snatched two more softball wins in their first full week of the season.
GHS played its lone home game last Tuesday against Union County, and pitching and defense were the keys for the Cats once again. Gilmer scored in each of the first three innings for their second win of the season, 5-1. Offense was on display Thursday at Coahulla Creek. GHS rallied for two runs late, but CCHS got out of the inning to preserve a 6-5 victory.
Gilmer traveled to Chattooga Saturday for a pair of games. Trion was up first, and six combined errors led to six total unearned runs. Trion’s defensive mishaps proved more costly as GHS came out on top, 6-2.
The Cats ended the day against the host Indians. The closely played game needed an extra inning, and GHS was unable to take advantage in the eighth. CHS plated the winning run in its half to claim a 4-3 win.
Senior Lily Fortune threw a complete game against Union. She struck out seven, walked one and gave up three hits. The Panthers plated their run in the third, but the Cats were able to limit damage by getting out of a bases loaded jam with one out.
“Our defense was lights out,” said head coach Haley Vick. “I would have liked a few more hits, but I was happy with our production, ability to put people on base and score in multiple innings. That’s been our motto: ‘to win every inning,’ to just break it down into those small pieces and be able to win more innings than they do.”
The Cats’ bats were busy early as they added to their run tally in each of their first four at-bats. Gilmer’s freshmen duo of Braley Stewart and Brenlee Daniel made Union pay in the first. Stewart put pressure on the Panthers with a triple to left and scored on Daniel’s base hit to center.
Mary Grace Jones drew a leadoff walk in the second and later scored on Mia Henson’s line drive to center.
In the third, GHS loaded the bases for two more runs. Sarah Dale walked before Stewart doubled to right. UCHS decided to intentionally walk Daniel, and Jones made them pay with one out. Her single to center put the Cats ahead, 4-1.
Fortune helped her cause in the fourth. She belted a triple and later scored the Cats’ final run.
Jaylee McDaniel had a big day at the plate against Coahulla Creek. She collected three hits, which included a pair of triples. She drove in two runs, as did Daniel, who added a double and single. Jones was there for two hits as well and knocked in a run. Stewart’s bat remained hot, and she was 2-for-3 on the day. Fortune notched an extra base hit as well with a double to lead off the fifth inning.
The Cats outhit CCHS 10-9, and the Colts led 1-0 after an inning. GHS evened the score in the third, and took a 3-1 lead in the fifth. Coahulla Creek answered with four runs in their half to jump back ahead by two and led 6-3 after the sixth.
Gilmer nearly came back in the seventh. Both Jones and McDaniel knocked in a run, but the later was stranded at third base to end the game.
Stewart pitched 5 1/3 innings and struck out 10, walked one and gave up six hits and six earned runs. Fortune fanned both hitters she faced in the sixth.
“We outhit them and had two errors, which kind of hurt us,” Vick noted. “We had been playing really solid defense and had a couple mishaps. Braley pitched the whole game and they got some hits here and there. I think if our defense was as strong as it had been, then we would probably come out on top.”
GHS fell behind by a run Saturday against Trion in the first inning. In the third, the Cats took the lead. Phoenix Addie reached on an error before Henson’s walk. Gracie Gaitanoglou laid down a sacrifice bunt to move both up a base, and Fortune was hit by a pitch to load the bases.
Jones’ fielders’ choice tied the game, and GHS slipped ahead on a THS error. A pair of Lady Cat errors evened the game at 2-2 in the fifth, but the Cats were quick to respond during their next at-bat. Addie doubled to start things, and the Cats enjoyed a two-run cushion when courtesy runner Henson and Fortune scored on Jones’ single to right.
The Cats plated two more insurance runs in the sixth with three straight one-out hits. Daniel doubled and scored when McDaniel did the same. GHS led 6-2 on Dale’s single to left.
Both teams committed three errors, and none of the Bulldogs’ runs were earned. Fortune pitched a stellar game and went seven innings once again. She struck out nine, did not walk any and gave up four hits and no earned runs.
“We got behind and immediately came back and answered,” said Vick. “It was tied for a while and we were able to bust loose. I was super pleased with Lily on the mound. She was solid all seven innings. We had some clutch hits and good execution. I was really proud of that game.”
GHS was up quickly in the first versus Chattooga. Daniel grounded out to score Fortune, who made her way around to third before crossing home plate. Jones got the third going with a hit to left and raced home on McDaniel’s two-out double.
However, CHS jumped ahead in its half with a two-out charge. A walk, double and a pair of singles saw the Cats fall behind, 3-2.
The lineup’s hot bats kept it going in the fifth. Jones singled to left to start the inning. She stole second and tied the game on Daniel’s hit to second.
Gilmer held Chattooga in check over its next three at-bats to force extra innings, and the Cats were retired in order in their half of the eighth.
A single and sacrifice bunt put a runner in scoring position for CHS. An ensuing passed ball and single to center ended the game.
Stewart handled all of the pitching for GHS and struck out nine, walked one and gave up eight hits.
“We kind of went hot and cold in our lineup,” Vick said. “We had some more errors, too. I think that’s the theme: we’ve got to play solid defense and not give them any extra outs so we can capitalize on the opportunities we’re producing. I felt like we should have won that game but didn’t make enough adjustments at the plate.
“Our defense was definitely lacking. I’m not sure if it had to do with fatigue or playing on a dirt field and it coming off differently. These are all things we should overcome, and fatigue shouldn’t be a factor. It was also our first week of school, and we played Saturday to Saturday, basically.”
While GHS will play in a tournament at the beginning of next month, and has a few nonregion games sprinkled in over the remainder of the schedule, the bulk of the Cats’ remaining games will be against region opponents.
“I feel good about the games we’ve played and even the two we lost,” said Vick. “They’re preparing us for region. We’re used to playing in tight games although we have two one-run losses. I’m very happy the girls don’t just shut down when we get behind. They don’t buckle under the pressure when it’s a close game. We’re keeping it close and literally a mishap or two away from that win.”
A recap of Gilmer’s region opening loss Monday to Ridgeland will appear in next week’s Times-Courier.
The Lady Cats are 3-3 overall and hosted Heritage at Tuesday’s press deadline. The Cats travel to Heritage Thursday for a 7 p.m. game.