The Gilmer Lady Cats captured the region victory they were looking for on the softball diamond.
GHS was in Adairsville last Wednesday, and the Cats reversed their fortunes against the hometown Tigers. Gilmer eliminated defensive errors that have plagued them all season. The Cats got off to a quick start and secured the win with a strong final inning, 5-3.
Gilmer began the week at home a day prior and lost to the Calhoun Yellow Jackets, 13-7. The Cats traveled to Calhoun Thursday, and the Jackets earned the weekly sweep, 6-4.
The Cats made Adairsville pay for its mistakes in the first inning. Lily Fortune reached on an error to begin the game before Mary Grace Jones drew a walk. Both scored on Jaylee McDaniel’s ensuing single, and she motored to third as the Tigers attempted to throw out Fortune and Jones.
McDaniel scored to give GHS a 3-0 lead on Emma Cagle’s grounder to third.
Fortune held the Tigers in check on the mound through five innings. In the sixth, the Tigers doubled, and two passed balls followed for Adairsville’s first run. After two walks, McDaniel replaced Fortune, and an ensuing single and double tied the score, 3-3.
The Cats were happy to take advantage of AHS control issues in the seventh. Mia Henson singled before Sarah Dale, Phoenix Addie, and McDaniel all walked for a 4-3 GHS lead. Gracie Gaitanoglou drew a walk as well to plate Gilmer’s fifth and final run.
After a single to begin the Tigers’ half, McDaniel fanned two before inducing a ground out to secure the win. Fortune allowed five hits, three earned runs, four walks and struck out four.
McDaniel surrendered three hits and struck out four. She finished with two hits on the day and drove in three runs to lead GHS offensively.
Calhoun outhit Gilmer 11-9 to start the week. Six CHS errors led to three unearned runs. The Cats’ three errors spotted the Yellow Jackets two runs, and a four hit first inning gave Calhoun a quick 5-0 lead.
Dale’s solo homer in the first put GHS on the board, and she drove in her second of three runs with a base hit to center in the second inning. Calhoun got a run back in the third. In the Cats’ half, Henson’s RBI single plated Gracie Morrow, and Makayla Martin scored when Dale grounded out.
Ahead 6-4, the Jackets added four more runs in the fourth, and they were aided by three walks and a hit batter.
Neither of Gilmer’s runs were earned in its half of the fourth, and Calhoun’s lead stood at 10-6. CHS extended its edge to six runs in the fifth and scored their final run in the sixth. Another CHS error plated Gilmer’s last run in the fifth.
Dale, McDaniel and Martin all had two hits on the day.
GHS pitching: Dale 0 IP, 4 H, 5 ER, 1 BB. Fortune 4 IP, 5 H, 6 ER, 6 K, 5 BB. McDaniel 3 IP, 1 H.
GHS outhit Calhoun 9-7 Thursday. Only one of the Jackets’ two runs in the first was earned as they drew two walks, stole bases and seized on a Gilmer error.
Consecutive singles by Jones and McDaniel scored a run for GHS in the third. Calhoun answered with a double and home run in its half to lead, 4-1.
Morrow and Fortune began the fourth with back-to-back hits. Martin’s sacrifice bunt moved both into scoring position, and they raced home on Dale’s base hit to right.
Martin then drew a bases loaded walk to tie the score at 4-4 in the fifth, but the run was unearned.
In the sixth, a two-out rally gave the Jackets the runs needed. A single, walk and double scored the final two runs of the game.
GHS pitching: McDaniel 5 IP, 7 H, 4 ER, 3 K, 4 BB. Fortune 1 IP, 1 ER, 1 K, 2 BB.
Gilmer is 5-19 overall and 1-13 versus region opponents.