The Gilmer High Lady Cats played four region softball games last week and came up short each time.
GHS was on the road Monday at Lumpkin County, and the Indians did just enough for a 2-1 win. The Cats were back home Thursday for a double header against the Cherokee Bluff Bears and fell by scores for 19-1 and 11-0. Gilmer hosted the Dawson County Tigers the next day and the visitors earned a 10-0 victory.
Versus Lumpkin Monday, Gilmer outhit the Indians 7-6, but it was the timely hits that were elusive. GHS left five runners stranded in scoring position, and in the fifth inning, the Cats left the bases loaded unable to capitalize.
An Indian two-out single in the second inning scored the game’s first run. Gilmer evened the score in the sixth when Gracie Smith’s base hit to right scored Jacie Bennett. LCHS strung together three straight singles in its half of the sixth to pull ahead, 2-1. GHS was unable to overtake the Indians in its final at-bat.
Aside from Smith, Maddie Wright, Tori Hughes, Taylor Elliott and Jocelyn Birko had a hit and Macy Hamby had two. Hamby pitched all six innings and struck out six and walked one.
In game one Thursday, Cherokee Bluff belted 17 hits, which included three home runs. Four GHS errors led to 12 unearned runs and the Bears wasted little time by scoring four runs in the first inning and eight in the second.
CBHS racked up seven hits in the fifth inning, and with the help of two Lady Cat errors, the Bears added seven more runs to their tally.
Gilmer’s lone run was scored in the first inning. Wright led off the at-bat with a double and later scored when Elliott singled to center.
Zoey Woody pitched for GHS and walked two in 4 2/3 innings. Katelyn Carder relieved Woody and got the final out.
The hits kept coming for CBHS in the second game as it tallied 11 while Gilmer was limited to two. Defensive miscues led to four unearned Bear runs. The Bears’ breakout inning came in the fourth with seven runs in between three in the second inning and one in the fifth.
Birko and Elliott each had a hit for GHS. Carder tossed five innings and struck out two.
Friday’s game against Dawson ended after five innings. The Tigers smacked 13 hits and led 1-0 after the second inning and 5-0 following the third. DCHS added three more runs in the fourth and two in the fifth.
Woody and Smith each had a hit for GHS.
Gilmer hosted North Hall Monday night and won game one 4-1 before a 6-1 loss in game two. Hamby returned to the lineup after missing the previous three games and earned a complete game victory while striking out eight Trojans, walking one and allowing one earned run.
Hamby also had two hits and a RBI for GHS, as did Hughes. Wright finished with three hits and both Elliott and Bennett had one apiece.
NHHS outhit GHS 12-5 in game two, and the Cats committed five errors to spot the Trojans five unearned runs. North Hall tallied four runs in the first and added one in the fourth and sixth innings.
Gilmer’s run came in the second and was knocked in by A.J. Allen, while Bennett and Hughes collected two hits each and Wright had one. Woody pitched all seven innings for the Cats.
GHS is 4-20 overall and traveled to White County at press deadline. GHS will be at Dawson County next Wednesday for a 5:30 game.