Softball team battles depth issues
Gilmer High was back on the softball diamond and finally got back to full strength Monday. They were still short-handed when they played a trio of region opponents last week and suffered three losses.
GHS was on the road last Wednesday at White County, and the Warriors defended their home field for a 6-3 win. The Cats were in Lumpkin County Friday to take on the Indians and fell, 8-2. Gilmer ended its week Saturday at home versus East Forsyth and only five varsity players were available as the visiting Broncos claimed a 13-4 victory.
Lady Cat Maddie Wright returned to the lineup versus White County, but GHS was still without centerfielder Jacie Bennett. Zoey Woody got the nod at pitcher for Gilmer. She made an impact offensively in the top of the first when she flew out to right field with one out to score Carly Chadwick from third.
Jocelyn Birko set the stage for GHS in the second inning with a leadoff double. She scored on an ensuing throwing error on teammate Tori Hughes’ sacrifice bunt, and the Cats enjoyed a 2-0 lead.
White evened the score in its half of the second. GHS got two outs to start the inning before a single, double and two-run base hit to center.
The score remained tied until the top of the fifth. Wright singled to left and advanced to second base on Chadwick’s sacrifice. GHS slipped ahead 3-2 on an ensuing double by Taylor Elliott. WCHS responded in its half of the inning as a single with two runners in scoring position brought the Warriors back even. With runners at the corners, a double steal made the score 4-3 in White’s favor.
A GHS error put the leadoff runner on for White in the sixth. A double plated their fifth run before a single to center gave the Warriors a three-run cushion.
GHS could not mount a comeback in the seventh. Birko had two hits for Gilmer while Woody gave up eight hits, four earned runs and struck out two. Macy Hamby pitched the sixth and gave up an earned run, three hits and fanned one.
Bennett was still out versus Lumpkin, and Elliott did not play either. Missing starters does not bode well for the Cats as they entered the season facing depth issues.
LCHS took a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the first before GHS was able to record an out. A walk and two doubles gave them a 2-0 edge. An error added another before a single scored a fourth run.
In the third, a two-out double by Hamby plated Chadwick and Wright for GHS. However, Lumpkin picked up a pair of clutch two-out hits as well in its half of the inning. With two runners in scoring position, a single to left gave LCHS a 5-2 lead. Another base hit to left extended the Indians’ advantage to four runs.
A walk and three timely two-out singles added a pair of insurance runs for LCHS in the fifth. The Cats were retired in order in their remaining at-bats.
Woody allowed eight hits and four earned runs in the first three innings while striking out one and walking one. Hamby surrendered four hits, two earned runs and struck out three and walked three over the final three innings..
Gilmer’s game versus East Forsyth was a make-up game that was originally scheduled for Thursday. The game had to be played at the earliest date, which left GHS without Elliott, Hamby, Birko and head coach Eric Tedders.
GHS struggled defensively, committing six errors that led to five of the Broncos’ runs being unearned. East Forsyth scored two runs in the first, five in the second, two in the third, three in the fourth and one more in the fifth inning.
Gilmer got on the board in the third when Wright doubled with one out before stealing third. She trotted home when Chadwick singled. GHS added a second run off a two-out hit by Bennett. The Cats plated their final runs in the fifth. It was Bennett once again, and this time her double to left scored Wright, who led off the inning with a line drive to left before stealing second. Bennett later scored on a Bronco error for Gilmer’s fourth run.
Wright and Bennett both had two hits for GHS. Woody gave up 13 hits and struck out one and walked one.
The Cats traveled to West Hall Monday night ahead of press deadline and were finally back to full strength.
GHS hammered out 17 hits for its first win of the season, 15-2. Gilmer took game two as well over the Spartans, 8-0. A full recap of the Lady Cats’ victories will appear in next week’s Times-Courier.
Gilmer has a 2-8 overall record and will host Lumpkin Thursday at 5:30 p.m.