Softball Round Up: Terrell Aca. falls, Worth Co., Deerfield-Windsor win

Terrell Academy coach Ashley Walker believes his Lady Eagles are getting closer to becoming the team he thinks they can be.

Monday’s 7-3 loss to defending state champion Southwest Georgia Academy showed both the progress they’ve made and the work that remains.

SGA scored four runs in the first inning in Dawson, putting Terrell in an early hole it could never completely overcome.

“We had a slow start and got down early, and you just can’t do that against good teams with a good arm in the circle,” Walker said.

Terrell tried to answer when Kacy Sheffield led off the bottom of the first with a single, but SGA turned a double play to erase the threat.

The Lady Eagles continued putting runners on base throughout the afternoon and finished with seven hits, but they couldn’t produce the big inning needed to erase the early deficit.

“I felt like we had baserunners on all game, but we could never get that one big hit to get us rolling offensively,” Walker said. “I thought both teams did a good job of working out of jams. They were just able to push a few more runs across than us.”

Lily Addison and Jacey Lane each drove in a run for Terrell.

Michaela Zingarelli pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing six runs — five earned — on nine hits.

SGA collected 12 hits, with Ava Rathel going 3-for-5 and also earning the win in the circle. Rathel allowed three unearned runs over seven innings.

Despite the loss, Walker remains encouraged as the Lady Eagles move closer to region play.

“I like where we are, but I still believe we haven’t hit our stride yet collectively as a group,” Walker said. “Being more consistent in all phases is going to be the key as we move closer to the midpoint of the season and region play.

“All in all, I’m proud of our improvements. We just need to start fine-tuning some things so we can be better across the board.”

Terrell hosts Westwood Thursday in Dawson.

Worth County rolls past Baconton

SYLVESTER — Worth County’s torrid start continued Monday as the Lady Rams powered past Baconton Charter 11-5 to improve to 12-1.

After Baconton scored in the top of the first, Laurie Pritchard quickly changed the game with one swing.

Pritchard blasted a three-run homer to center in the bottom of the inning to give Worth a 3-1 lead, and the Lady Rams kept adding to it.

Karlee Mathews singled home a run in the second and Ellasyn Gandy brought home two more with a groundout. Mathews added a two-run double in the third before Gandy belted a two-run homer in the fifth.

Mathews and Gandy each finished with three RBIs. Mathews, Austyn Kate Rucker, Pritchard and Gandy collected two hits apiece as Worth finished with 10.

The Lady Rams also created problems on the bases, drawing eight walks and stealing seven bases.

Rucker earned the win after working 4 1/3 innings, while Pritchard recorded the save.

Worth County now turns its attention back to region play. The Lady Rams host Sumter County Tuesday and Crisp County Thursday in Sylvester.

Deerfield-Windsor gets first win under Suggs

Deerfield-Windsor broke through Monday.

The Lady Knights collected 13 hits and stole 10 bases in an 18-10 victory over Southwest Georgia STEM Charter, giving first-year head coach Dwayne Suggs his first victory at Deerfield-Windsor.

The win also snapped an 0-5 start for the Lady Knights.

Deerfield-Windsor wasted little time offensively, scoring five runs in the first inning. An error brought home two before Anna Beth Brady and Kyndall Mitchell delivered RBI singles, and another run scored on a wild pitch.

The Lady Knights continued applying pressure throughout the game.

Mitchell, hitting seventh in the lineup, went 3-for-4 to lead Deerfield-Windsor’s 13-hit attack. Mary Ruth Courtney, Reynolds Bryson and Mitchell each drove in two runs, while Emily Phillips, Brady and Marin Anthony also had multiple hits.

Deerfield-Windsor was just as aggressive on the bases, piling up 10 steals.

Courtney earned the win in the circle, allowing three earned runs over five innings while striking out six.

The Lady KnTerrell Academy coach Ashley Walker believes his Lady Eagles are getting closer to becoming the team he thinks they can be.

Monday’s 7-3 loss to defending state champion Southwest Georgia Academy showed both the progress they’ve made and the work that remains.

SGA scored four runs in the first inning in Dawson, putting Terrell in an early hole it could never completely overcome.

“We had a slow start and got down early, and you just can’t do that against good teams with a good arm in the circle,” Walker said.

Terrell tried to answer when Kacy Sheffield led off the bottom of the first with a single, but SGA turned a double play to erase the threat.

The Lady Eagles continued putting runners on base throughout the afternoon and finished with seven hits, but they couldn’t produce the big inning needed to erase the early deficit.

“I felt like we had baserunners on all game, but we could never get that one big hit to get us rolling offensively,” Walker said. “I thought both teams did a good job of working out of jams. They were just able to push a few more runs across than us.”

Lily Addison and Jacey Lane each drove in a run for Terrell.

Michaela Zingarelli pitched 5 2/3 innings, allowing six runs — five earned — on nine hits.

SGA collected 12 hits, with Ava Rathel going 3-for-5 and also earning the win in the circle. Rathel allowed three unearned runs over seven innings.

Despite the loss, Walker remains encouraged as the Lady Eagles move closer to region play.

“I like where we are, but I still believe we haven’t hit our stride yet collectively as a group,” Walker said. “Being more consistent in all phases is going to be the key as we move closer to the midpoint of the season and region play.

“All in all, I’m proud of our improvements. We just need to start fine-tuning some things so we can be better across the board.”

Terrell hosts Westwood Thursday in Dawson.

Worth County rolls past Baconton

SYLVESTER — Worth County’s torrid start continued Monday as the Lady Rams powered past Baconton Charter 11-5 to improve to 12-1.

After Baconton scored in the top of the first, Laurie Pritchard quickly changed the game with one swing.

Pritchard blasted a three-run homer to center in the bottom of the inning to give Worth a 3-1 lead, and the Lady Rams kept adding to it.

Karlee Mathews singled home a run in the second and Ellasyn Gandy brought home two more with a groundout. Mathews added a two-run double in the third before Gandy belted a two-run homer in the fifth.

Mathews and Gandy each finished with three RBIs. Mathews, Austyn Kate Rucker, Pritchard and Gandy collected two hits apiece as Worth finished with 10.

The Lady Rams also created problems on the bases, drawing eight walks and stealing seven bases.

Rucker earned the win after working 4 1/3 innings, while Pritchard recorded the save.

Worth County now turns its attention back to region play. The Lady Rams host Sumter County Tuesday and Crisp County Thursday in Sylvester.

Deerfield-Windsor gets first win under Suggs

Deerfield-Windsor broke through Monday.

The Lady Knights collected 13 hits and stole 10 bases in an 18-10 victory over Southwest Georgia STEM Charter, giving first-year head coach Dwayne Suggs his first victory at Deerfield-Windsor.

The win also snapped an 0-5 start for the Lady Knights.

Deerfield-Windsor wasted little time offensively, scoring five runs in the first inning. An error brought home two before Anna Beth Brady and Kyndall Mitchell delivered RBI singles, and another run scored on a wild pitch.

The Lady Knights continued applying pressure throughout the game.

Mitchell, hitting seventh in the lineup, went 3-for-4 to lead Deerfield-Windsor’s 13-hit attack. Mary Ruth Courtney, Reynolds Bryson and Mitchell each drove in two runs, while Emily Phillips, Brady and Marin Anthony also had multiple hits.

Deerfield-Windsor was just as aggressive on the bases, piling up 10 steals.

Courtney earned the win in the circle, allowing three earned runs over five innings while striking out six.

The Lady Knights, now 1-5, host Westwood Tuesday before hosting Southwest Georgia STEM again next Monday.ights, now 1-5, host Westwood Tuesday before hosting Southwest Georgia STEM again next Monday.