Terrell Academy one win from GIAA softball championship game

COLUMBUS — Terrell Academy needed two victories Thursday to move within one win of the state championship game.

The Lady Eagles got both of them—and did not leave much room for suspense.

Terrell Academy rolled past rival Deerfield-Windsor 9-1, then overwhelmed Vidalia Heritage Academy 13-5 at the South Commons Softball Complex. The opening-day sweep pushed the Lady Eagles into a noon Friday showdown with Westfield.

Yes, that Westfield.

The nine-time defending state champion Lady Hornets are once again standing between Terrell Academy and a direct trip to Saturday’s 2 p.m. GIAA Class AAA championship game.

A Terrell victory Friday would secure its place in the final. A loss would send the Lady Eagles into the elimination bracket and force them to win their way back.

Westfield has already defeated Terrell Academy twice this season, winning 6-2 before surviving an 11-9 slugfest. The Lady Hornets advanced Thursday by beating Central Fellowship 13-0 and Athens Christian 9-1.

So, can the third time be the charm?

Terrell Academy certainly looked ready for the opportunity Thursday.

Blakely Aultman set the tone against Deerfield-Windsor, going 3-for-3 as part of a 13-hit attack. Lily Addison and Alyssa Godwin also finished with three hits apiece.

Aultman’s first-inning single put Terrell ahead 1-0, but Deerfield-Windsor answered in the second when Emily Phillips singled home the tying run.

Then the Lady Eagles broke the game open.

Addison started a six-run third inning with an RBI double. Aultman and Michaela Zingarelli followed with run-scoring singles, and two Deerfield-Windsor errors helped turn a close game into a 7-1 Terrell lead.

Caroline Presley made sure there would be no comeback. She held the Lady Knights to five hits and one unearned run over five innings, striking out four and walking one.

Deerfield-Windsor received one hit each from Anna Beth Brady, Phillips, Jennings Curington, Claire Hockman and Millie Champion, but could not generate enough offense to keep pace.

Terrell faced an early test in its second game when Vidalia Heritage scored three times in the top of the first.

The lead lasted only a few minutes.

The Lady Eagles capitalized on two errors to tie the game in the bottom half, then surged ahead 7-3 in the second. Another error brought home one run, Aultman’s fielder’s choice scored another and an aggressive baserunning play produced two more.

Terrell finished the job with a six-run fifth inning. Hadley Webb drove in one run, Kacy Sheffield singled home two, and Godwin and Addison added RBI singles.

Aultman completed her impressive day in the circle, allowing three runs—only one earned—over five innings while striking out eight. Godwin went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases, and Zingarelli drew two walks.

Now comes the opponent Terrell Academy knew it might eventually have to beat.

Westfield defeated the Lady Eagles in last year’s state championship game and has ruled the classification for nine consecutive seasons. Terrell has already shown it can push the Lady Hornets, coming within two runs in their second meeting this year.

Friday, pushing them will not be enough.

One more victory would send Terrell Academy back to the state championship game—and force the Lady Hornets to take an unfamiliar road through the losers’ bracket.