SOLID hitting, good pitching and effective defense added up to a big non-region win for Jackson County
The Panther softball team (2-0, 1-0) topped Archer 6-4 Tuesday, beating a Class AAAAAA team that won 24 games last year.
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The back-and-forth game was tied 4-4 late, but the Panthers pushed across two runs in the bottom of the sixth to secure a 6-4 win.
Coach Chessie Laird believed the victory was a step up from the previous night’s win over Oglethorpe County.
“I think so,” Laird said. “We really seemed more at ease. We weren’t too uptight. We played really focused. Peyton (Sorrells) did a great job on the mound.”
Sorrells pitched a complete game, allowing eight hits, three walks and four runs (all earned). She struck out three batters.
Equally as important was the defensive support Jackson County provided Sorrells.
“We didn’t have very many errors, which was very important,” Laird said.
Jackson County also hit the ball better than it did in its opener.
Shelton Kendrix went 2-for-3 with a single, triple and an RBI. She also scored a run. Victoria Fontana was also 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run.
Others adding hits were Madi Pecht (1-for-2, two runs), Cassie Satterfield (2-for-3) and Andrea Ledford (1-for-3, RBI, double, run).
Jackson County continues a busy week with a full slate of games at the Mill Creek Hawk-Bulldog Invitational which starts today (Wednesday) and runs through Saturday. Ironically, Jackson County begins the tournament against Archer. The Panthers will then play Class AAAAAA schools Mill Creek (Thursday) and North Forsyth (Friday). Three games follow Saturday as Jackson County faces Lanier, Harrison and North Gwinnett. Harrison and North Gwinnett are both Class AAAAAA schools. Lanier is a Class AAAA school.
“We’re going to be very busy this week with a lot of games and a lot of good competition,” Laird said.
Of course, the Panthers will be less focused on whom they’re playing and more on improving as a team over the four-day event.
“We’re going to take each game to work on the little things,” Laird said.
JCCHS opens with 1-0 victory over Oglethorpe Co.
JESSICA Baker hurled a three-hit shutout, and Jackson County got a run from Madi Pecht as the Panthers beat region foe Oglethorpe County 1-0 at home Monday.
Baker struck out seven batters in her complete-game performance.
Offensive leaders include Peyton Sorrells who went 2-3, as well as Victoria Fontana, Andrea Ledford, Jessica Baker and Cassie Satterfield, who all had one hit.
Pecht scored the game’s only run after stealing two bases while serving as a courtesy runner for Baker.
