Christian Malone
VALDOSTA — Northside completed a sweep of Winnersville softball teams Saturday afternoon, defeating Valdosta 5-2 at VHS.
The Lady Eagles scored four runs in the first three innings, then escaped a bases-loaded jam in the bottom of the seventh to hold on for the win.
“We made a couple of mistakes that cost us big. They got some big hits when they needed them,” Valdosta head coach Adam Haire said.
Earlier Saturday, Northside had defeated Lowndes 5-3. Then the Lady Eagles, who hail from Warner Robins, traveled across town and defeated Valdosta.
Haire was disappointed to lose, but complimented his team on the way they battled Northside. The Lady Wildcats are young, with only three returning starters and just one player who is starting in the same position they were at last year.
“I never like to lose, but I like the (way) we’re moving forward, offensively and defensively. I’m happy with the progression we’ve made,” Haire said.
Northside got on the board quickly. Bethany Horne led off the game with a base on balls, and stole second. Taylor Campbell laid down a sacrifice bunt, but on the throw, the second baseman dropped the ball at first, and Horne raced home to score the first run.
The Lady Eagles expanded their lead with three runs in the top of the third inning. With one out, Campbell reached on an error and stole second, then Sarah Purvis walked. Miya Raymer then lined a shot to deep right field that rolled to the fence. Campbell and Purvis raced around the bases to score, and Raymer made it to third with a triple. Raymer later scored on a wild pitch, giving the Lady Eagles a 4-0 lead.
The score remained 4-0 until the bottom of the sixth, when Valdosta rallied. Leading off the inning, Bridgette Walker ripped a double to deep left field. Sylvia Sadler followed with an infield single, putting runners on the corners with no outs. One out later, Rosie Yelito grounded to short, scoring Walker. Sadler tried to go to third on the play, and collided with the third baseman before the ball arrived. The throw bounced into the dugout, and Sadler was awarded home plate, cutting Northside’s lead to 4-2.
The Lady Eagles came right back with a run in the top of the seventh. Campbell lined a one-out triple to deep left field, and Purvis followed with an RBI double to the fence in right center.
Valdosta refused to go quietly in the bottom of the seventh. Taylor Hauser walked to lead off the inning, then Stormm Phillips reached on an error. One out later, Walker reached on an error, loading the bases with one out.
Northside pitcher Brooke Red struck out Sadler for the second out. That brought Amanda Smith, arguably Valdosta’s best hitter, to the plate. Smith, who already had two hits on Saturday, hit a low line shot, but it was right at Campbell, the Northside third baseman, who stepped on third base for the force out, ending the threat.
“Amanda has definitely been one of our top hitters. The pitch was outside, she took it away, (and Campbell) just made a good play. She hit it hard,” Haire said.
Red was the winning pitcher, allowing six hits and one earned run in seven innings. She struck out nine. Walker went the distance for Valdosta, giving up six hits and one earned run, while striking out seven.
For Northside, Campbell had two hits and scored two runs. She and Smith were the only players with multiple hits.
Valdosta travels to Colquitt County on Tuesday.
