The Dodge County Middle School Lady Warriors softball team participated in the Jeff Davis Middle School Softball “Stinger Classic” August 26-27. The Lady Warriors were undefeated in the 14 team tournament.
The Lady Warriors faced Martha Puckett Middle School from Wayne County. Briana Perdue pitches the first four innings allowing four hits, one walk, three strikeouts, and only two runs scored.
Haley Holloway came in to relieve Perdue in the 5th, and she allowed two walks, three hits, two strikeouts, and two runs also scored. Offensively, Margaret Simmons, Allie Parkerson, and Kaylee Peterson were all 2-4, with Dodge winning 9-4.
On Saturday, Dodge faced North Effingham Middle School. The game was scoreless up until the fourth inning when Effingham scored on a hit to deep centerfield. Dodge’s bats finally came alive in the bottom of the fifth with a single by Leah Creech and a triple by Macy Rogers.
The sixth inning, Dodge stayed hot with a solo homerun by Simmons, and singles by Parkerson and Lizzie Massingill. Dodge defeated N. Effingham 6-2. Holloway pitched four innings with one strikeout, two hits, and one run scored. Perdue came in to relieve in the fifth with two hits, one strikeout, and one run scored.
In the next game, Dodge’s bats were on fire defeating the Ware County Gators 18-1 in four innings. Perdue pitched three innings allowing one hit, two walks, no strikeouts, and no runs scored. Holloway pitched the fourth and final inning allowing one hit, one strikeout, no walks, and one run scored.
Chelsea Brady, center fielder for Dodge, assisted in a double play with the first baseman, Kaylee Peterson, to end the game. Big hitters were Creech 3-3, Lindsey Crummey 2-4, Simmons 3-4, Parkerson 2-3, Massingill 2-3, and Rogers 1-2. Julianna Bellflower, Allie Varnadoe, and Caitlyn Gooch were all 1-1.
In their third game on Saturday, Dodge faced the Coffee County Trojans. The two teams were pretty evenly matched. Holloway pitched four innings allowing two hits, one walk, two strikeouts, with three runs scored. Perdue pitched the final two innings allowing no hits, no walks, one strikeout, and no runs scored.
Simmons turned a 6-4-3 double play with Peterson in the sixth inning. Every Dodge player in the line-up had hits in this game. Faith Manning 2-2, Simmons 2-3, Creech 2-4, Holloway 1-2, and Perdue 1-1. Crummy, Parkerson, Massingill, and Peterson were all 1-4. Rogers was 1-3. Bellflower and Varnadoe were pinch runners with several stolen bases. Dodge defeated Coffee County 7-3.
Dodge advanced to the championship game against South Effingham Middle School Mustangs. Purdue pitched three innings allowing five walks, one hit, no strikeouts, and two runs scored.
Holloway came in to finish the final four innings allowing seven hits, one strikeout, no walks, with four runs scored. Dodge started the first inning scoring four runs with RBI’s by Crummey, Simmons, Parkerson, and Peterson. The second inning, Creech and Crummey had back-to-back singles and were knocked in by Simmons’ stand-up double deep to right center. He third inning Peterson had a stand-up double to the left center, followed by singles from Manning and Perdue.
The fourth inning Simmons was walked, Parkerson hit a single, followed by a triple from Massingill, who also stole home, earning all three RBI’s for the inning.
After four innings, Dodge had a 10-2 lead. S. Effingham scored four runs in the fifth closing the gap to 10-6. Haleigh Pavesich made an amazing catch in the right field to end the inning for Effingham.
Kiley Dix had the only hit for Dodge in the fifth. Dodge stayed tough in the sixth with a single and an RBI to give Dodge an 11-6 lead. Dodge’s defense remained solid in the top of the seventh to keep Effingham from scoring. Final score 11-6.
The Lady Warriors will begin their regular season games Tuesday, September 6 in Vidalia. The first home game for the Lay Warriors will be on Thursday, September 8 against Swainsboro.
All home games will be played at the Eatman-Dodge Recreation Department beginning at 4:30 p.m. Come out and support this great group of girls.
