The Gilmer Lady Cats picked up their first region softball win last week.
GHS began its region schedule Tuesday at home and sent the Lumpkin County Indians back to Dahlonega with a 5-2 defeat.
Two days later, Gilmer made the long trip to Cherokee Bluff High School to face the Bears. The Cats jumped ahead early but the game was canceled because of rain showers.
GHS was at North Hall Monday and run ruled the Trojans in six innings for a 12-0 region win.
Runs were scarce early versus Lumpkin as the Cats finally broke through in the bottom of the fifth. To that point, GHS had been limited to three hits and left three runners stranded in scoring position.
Lumpkin was equally held in check by GHS pitcher Isabella Chastain, who only allowed two hits through the Indians’ first five at-bats.
It was a Taylor Elliott two-run double that gave GHS its lead in the fifth. She finished the game with four hits and three RBI.
Lumpkin evened the score in the sixth inning with a two-run homer for its only runs and third and final hit of the game.
Makenzie Taylor got Gilmer’s offense going in the bottom half of the inning with a lead off single. She scored when Jocelyn Birko doubled. A Maddie Wright sacrifice gave GHS a two-run lead before Elliott collected her third RBI of the game.
Chastain struck out two more Indians in the seventh to bring her total to 10 for the game.
Lady Cats Wright, Jasmine Staley, Macy Hamby and Sarah Stallings had one hit apiece.
GHS was poised for another victory Thursday at Cherokee Bluff.
The Cats held a commanding 6-0 lead before the clouds opened up in the fourth inning. Because at least five innings were not played, the game was not counted.
Gilmer will have to make the two-hour trek to Cherokee Bluff once more and the game will be restarted from the beginning.
The Cats were clicking on all cylinders against North Hall. GHS committed just one error, and Chastain pitched another gem with 12 strikeouts while only allowing two hits. Gilmer’s offense churned out 12 hits.
After taking a 1-0 lead in the first, GHS tacked on two runs in the third and four more in the fourth. The Cats put the game away with a five-run sixth inning that forced it to be called because of run differential.
Lead off hitter Staley had three hits and four RBI on the day, and Hamby smacked three hits and drove in three. Elliott was there for two more RBI.
GHS is 4-1 overall, which includes a 2-0 region record. The Lady Cats hosted region opponent White County at Tuesday’s press deadline.