VALDOSTA — Rylin Hedgecock started the Lowndes Vikettes’ solid pitching outing.

Rachel Wolverton finished it.

Hedgecock tossed four innings, delivering five strikeouts in her final two frames, while Wolverton walked one batter and struck out another in Lowndes’ 8-0 shutout victory against the Thomas County Central Yellow Jackets at Morris-Coats Field of Dreams on Tuesday evening.

“I just felt like all my pitches were working well,” Hedgecock said, “and I was able to set batters up in counts that were good for me. Whenever I got behind, my pitches were working well enough where I was able to not allow any big things to change the game drastically.”

The Vikettes (17-3, 2-0 Region 1-7A) made it eight wins in a row. The Yellow Jackets (6-8, 1-2 Region 1-5A) fell after beating Brookwood on Saturday.

“I don’t remember the last time we beat (Central),” Lowndes coach Stewart Thomas said. “They’re always in Columbus, always competing for a state championship. They’re a great opponent, so it’s especially good when you come get a shutout against them.”

Lowndes built a 3-0 lead in the opening frame, adding two runs to it in the second. Kayden Dickey, Jacie Johns and Wolverton each singled to load the bases for Sophie Sumner, who took first after getting hit by a pitch, to score Dickey from third to make it 4-0.

“We hit the ball really well, especially with two outs,” Thomas said. “I think that’s when we scored the majority of our runs was with two outs.”

Rylin Hedgecock was walked on the ensuing at-bat and scored Johns. Tori Hedgecock hit into a double play to end the inning.

Central put runners on base in the third, but Rylin Hedgecock managed her way out of a two-on, two-out jam. She shut down the Yellow Jackets with three straight strikeouts.

“Me and Rachel do a good job of picking up our team whenever they’re having a bad day, because whenever we have bad days, they pick us up,” Hedgecock said.

Singles from Ellie Merritt and Dickey and Johns’ drawn walk loaded the bases in the bottom of the third for Wolverton. Her single to left scored both teammates to lift Lowndes to a 7-0 advantage.

The Yellow Jackets continued getting runner on base in the fourth. Emily Greek reached on a fielding error and Caroline Pope singled in an effort to jumpstart Central’s offense.

But the result was similar to the previous inning.

Rylin Hedgecock struck out Kasey Melton and Anna Greek, leaving both runners stranded to close the fourth.

“Rylin did a great job, pitching out of a couple of jams,” Thomas said. “Rachel came in at the end and shut the door.”

Rylin Hedgecock drew a walk to begin the Vikettes’ next at-bat; Jaylin Johnson pinch ran for her. Tori Hedgecock followed with a hit to deep left-center. Merritt grounded out, but plated Johnson from third go give Lowndes its final total.

Central’s Emily Greek popped up to end the game with two aboard and two out in the fifth.

“We knew that we wanted to come out here today and give it all we had, especially after last year,” Wolverton said. “They spanked us pretty good last year, so it was really important to shut them out like they did us last year.”

UP NEXT

The Vikettes host Colquitt County for a region doubleheader, beginning at 4 p.m. Thursday.

The Yellow Jackets visit Lee County at 6 p.m. today.