Gilmer High secured a nonregion softball victory for its fifth win of the season.
The GHS Lady Cats were on the road last Wednesday at Southeast Whitfield and they crushed the Raiders in six innings, 11-1. Gilmer hosted region foe and archrival Pickens the following day for senior night. The Dragonettes held the Cats’ bats in check for a 4-0 win.
GHS closed out the week Saturday at Sprayberry. The Class 7A Yellow Jackets defended their home turf and earned the win in five innings, 9-1.
Phoenix Addie shut down Southeast and pitched six innings, struck out six, walked four and gave up just one hit.
The bulk of Gilmer’s runs came in the late innings. A wild pitch scored A.J. Allen for the Cats’ first run in the third inning. In the fourth, Macy Hamby got the offense going with a leadoff double. She scored when Zoey Woody doubled to left, and Gilmer went ahead 3-0 on a Raider error.
Southeast got a run back in its half of the fourth, but GHS went on to pad its lead in its next two at-bats. Gilmer loaded the bases in the fifth when Alaina Miltiades reached base on a dropped third strike, Lily Fortune reached on an error and Maddie Wright drew a walk.
The Cats’ next run scored on a fielder’s choice, and Gilmer moved ahead 5-1 when Addie grounded out. A pair of ensuing wild pitches scored Hamby and Wright as Gilmer’s lead swelled to 7-1.
GHS set the stage in the sixth with an Allen walk and bunt single by Miltiades. Gilmer added a run when Fortune grounded out and moved ahead 9-1 when Wright singled. Hamby added two more RBIs with a homer to center.
Down 11-1, Southeast was unable to cut the Cats’ lead to fewer than 10 runs and the game was called.
Hamby led GHS offensively with two hits and three RBIs.
Pickens held Gilmer to three hits Thursday, and Dragonette Emma Black struck out 12 Lady Cats. PHS scored the game’s first run in the third and added three more in the seventh.
Hamby had two hits once more and Wright finished with one. Hamby also tossed 6 2/3 innings, struck out five, walked seven and gave up five hits and four earned runs.
Sprayberry plated three runs in the first inning of Saturday’s game and tallied four more in the second. The Yellow Jackets ended the game when they tacked on two more runs in the fifth.
Hamby had two hits, and Gilmer’s lone run came in the first inning when she doubled to score Wright. Woody, Wright and Chesney Mathews each added a hit for GHS.
Fortune got the start and lasted an inning, and she gave up two hits, five earned runs and walked three. Addie finished the game by pitching the final 3 2/3 innings. She walked a pair, struck out one and allowed five hits and two earned runs.
GHS has a 5-9 overall record. The Cats hosted White County at press deadline and Lumpkin County will be in town Thursday for a 5:30 p.m. game.