Worth County softball rallies from five runs down to beat Irwin County

SYLVESTER — Laurie Pritchard started Worth County’s scoring with a home run and finished Irwin County with another.

In between, the Lady Rams produced the kind of comeback that has carried them to 23 victories and the doorstep of hosting the state playoffs.

Pritchard hit two home runs, drove in six and pitched four strong innings in relief as Worth County rallied from a five-run deficit to beat Irwin County 15-8 Tuesday afternoon in Sylvester.

The Lady Rams trailed 7-2 in the third inning before scoring six runs in the bottom of the frame to take the lead. They added six more in the sixth, with Pritchard’s grand slam providing the finishing blow.

Worth County improved to 23-3 with only Thursday’s regular-season finale against Hawkinsville remaining. The Lady Rams are No. 2 in the Class 3A power rankings and are expected to host the opening round of the state playoffs Monday in Sylvester. Final rankings and playoff positions will be announced this weekend.

Tuesday’s game began well enough for Worth County.

Pritchard launched a two-run homer to left in the bottom of the first, giving the Lady Rams a 2-0 lead. Irwin County responded immediately, scoring four times in the second behind Emalea Newell’s three-run single and Katie Alberson’s sacrifice fly.

The Indians added three more in the third. Jenna Bridges delivered an RBI single, and two runs scored on a passed ball to stretch the lead to 7-2.

Five runs down, Worth County needed only half an inning to answer.

The Lady Rams sent a wave of hitters to the plate in the bottom of the third, collecting eight hits and scoring six runs to move ahead 8-7. Ansley Bartley supplied the biggest swing, crushing a three-run homer to left.

Worth County never trailed again.

The Lady Rams carried a narrow advantage into the sixth before breaking the game open. Karlee Mathews and Isabelle Hancock delivered RBI singles, bringing Pritchard to the plate with the bases loaded.

Pritchard cleared them with her second home run of the afternoon, a grand slam to left that turned a competitive game into a seven-run victory.

The offensive outburst was hardly a one-player production. Worth County piled up 18 hits, with Kamryn Kendrick, Mathews, Pritchard and Hancock collecting three apiece. Austyn Kate Rucker and Molly Williford also finished with multiple hits.

Pritchard was just as valuable in the circle.

She relieved Rucker after Irwin County’s seven-run start and allowed only one run on two hits over the final four innings. Pritchard struck out three, walked one and earned the victory.

Rucker surrendered seven hits and seven runs, four earned, over three innings. She struck out one and walked two.

Bridges led Irwin County with three hits, while Newell drove in four runs from the No. 9 spot in the lineup.

Worth County has one regular-season game remaining before its attention shifts fully toward the state tournament. With a 23-3 record and a top-two power ranking, the Lady Rams have already ensured that the postseason road will begin at home.

Tuesday, they showed how quickly a difficult game can turn once their lineup finds its rhythm.