The Suwannee High Lady Bulldogs varsity softball team opened the regular season at home on Feb. 5 against the Fort White Indians.

It was the first game of a 24-game season that will conclude in April with Suwannee as host for the district tournament.

Against Fort White, the Lady Bulldogs trailed 1-0 through four innings before tallying a run in the bottom of the fifth to tie the score. Shortstop Mary Badgerow opened the inning by drawing a leadoff walk, advanced to second base on a passed ball, stole third base and scored when the catcher’s throw to the bag was wild and rolled into left field.

The game went into extra innings with Suwannee picking up a 2-1 win by scoring a run in the bottom of the eighth. Third baseman Jessica Johnson drew a leadoff walk and catcher Chelsea Davis laid down a sacrifice bunt that advanced Johnson to second base. With one out, pitcher Dale Townsend delivered a walk-off double into the left center field gap to drive home the winning run.

Outfielders Brittany Jordan and Hollan Abercrombie, along with Davis and Townsend had the only hits of the game for Suwannee. Townsend tossed a complete game to pick up the win on the mound. She scattered seven hits, allowed only one earned run, issued no base-on-balls and struck out 10 Fort White batters.