Lee County Lady Trojans turn back Coffee, eye region crown

LEESBURG — The Lee County Lady Trojans have put themselves in the driver’s seat in Region 2-6A.

Now comes the most important stretch of the season.

Lee County strengthened its hold on first place Tuesday with a 5-3 victory over second-place Coffee, improving to 20-2 overall and 13-1 in region play.

Coffee sits at 10-4 in the region, while Veterans remains in the race at 7-3. Lee County travels to Douglas for a doubleheader against Coffee on Thursday, then visits Veterans for another doubleheader next week. Those four games will help determine the region champion and the top seed entering the Class 6A state playoffs.

Porter Butler led Lee County’s 10-hit attack Tuesday, going 3-for-3 with a double and two singles while also drawing a walk.

Butler helped start nearly every important Lee County rally.

She led off the bottom of the second inning with a double to center field before Tina Benton drew a walk. One out later, Brylyn Parsons drove a double into center, scoring both runners and giving the Lady Trojans a 2-0 lead.

Coffee answered in the top of the third. Brown doubled down the left-field line to bring home two runs and tie the game.

The tie did not last long.

Butler opened the bottom of the third with a walk, and Benton followed with a double to left. Makinley Duke then drove another double to the fence in left, helping Lee County reclaim the lead at 4-2.

The Lady Trojans added their final run in the fourth. Izzy Evans sent a triple to the fence in center field, and Butler brought her home with a line-drive single to left.

That was enough support for Benton, who went the distance in the circle. The right-hander scattered eight hits and allowed three runs, none earned, over seven innings. She struck out seven and walked three.

Benton also went 2-for-3 at the plate, while Parsons finished with two RBIs from the cleanup spot. Evans supplied the game’s only triple, Duke delivered a key run-scoring double and Butler reached base in all four of her plate appearances.

Lee County also turned a double play behind Benton.

Brown took the loss for Coffee after allowing five runs on 10 hits in six innings. She struck out four and walked two.

Tuesday’s win gave the Lady Trojans an important advantage, but the region race is far from finished. Coffee will get two chances to respond Thursday on its home field, and Veterans will be waiting next week.

Lee County has created some separation. The next four games will determine whether the Lady Trojans can turn it into a championship.