Simmons continues success at University of North Georgia
By Russ Ragan
The journey has been a long one for Dodge High School Lady Indian Margaret Simmons, but it looks like she has found a home with NCAA division II power North Georgia. She was a four-year all region player for the Lady Indians. She was all state and all middle Georgia in 2013. She led the Lady Indians to a pair of trips to Columbus including a top three finish her senior year.
She continued her play at Middle Georgia College in Cochran. She burst on the scene, as she was 2018 freshman and player of the year. She was also all-conference in 2019 but then things changed.
Things would change after her sophomore season. Middle Georgia was in the middle of a coaching change. That’s when North Georgia and legendary head coach Mike Davenport stepped into the scene. She took a trip to the campus in Dahlonega and she was offered a scholarship and the rest is history. Simmons was looking forward to the challenge of playing for the powerhouse program and she got the jersey number 6, which she wears in honor of her stepsister Nikki Graham. It also didn’t hurt that North Georgia blue is her favorite color.
Simmons got off to a slow start in 2020. She was hitting just .245 with seven RBIs in early March when the sports world and mostly everything else shut down. I recently had the chance to talk to coach Davenport and he said, “It was a big adjustment for her to move to division II”.
Things changed in 2021 for the shortstop. She found her power stroke again. She was tied for the team lead with five homers and she leads the team with 18 RBI’s and a .420 batting average. Davenport said, “She has matured a lot from last season and she is settled now”.
This North Georgia team is a powerhouse. They are currently; 17-1 on the season and they are ranked number 1 in NCAA division II. They are currently 4-0 in the Peach Belt Conference going into a big double header on April 3 against Young Harris College on the road. Young Harris is ranked number 11 nationally. The games will be a big challenge.
Like almost everyone, the Night Hawks were affected by Covid. They were shutdown for a while after games on February 27. They didn’t get any games until March 22. Davenport said “We were just hitting our rhythm when Covid slowed us down”. Margaret was the Chic-Fil-A Night Hawk of the week for her play right at the shutdown.
This team has quality depth on both offense and defense. “We can run some good depth to the mound” said Davenport. They are led by senior Kylee Smith. She is 6-0 with a 0.74 ERA this season. She has 71 strikeouts in just 38 innings. The second pitcher is junior Laken Chambers. She is also 6-0 with a 0.00 ERA. She has had only two walks in 35 innings. “Kylee is my strikeout pitcher and Laken pitches more to contact and lets the defense work,” said Davenport. Recently in a conference double-header against Augusta College the two had a big day. Smith pitched a no hitter in game one with 18 strikeouts. In game two, Chambers pitched a three hitter over six innings. Smith pitched the seventh for the save. A fourth inning homer from Margaret in the fourth was the games only run.
The Night Hawks third pitcher should be familiar to Lady Indian fans. It’s Tylee Denton from Banks County. She faced Dodge twice in Columbus. “Tylee has pitched well for us”, said Davenport. She is 301 on the season with a 1.59 ERA. She has 32 strikeouts in 26 innings. “She pitched well enough to win in the 2-1 loss to Newberry College. “There were a few plays we should have made”, said Davenport.
The Night Hawks are strong offensively as well. Shelby Hamontree and Madison Simmons are tied with Margaret with five homers to lead the team. As a team, they are hitting .316 and have a strong .416 on base percentage. They are 44 for 48 in stolen bases. So, as you can tell, there aren’t many weaknesses on this team. They can also play defense. They have made only 11 errors in 18 games good for a .977 team fielding percentage.
Cody Davenport has put together a powerhouse during his 20 years at North Georgia. The coach won his 900th game in Wednesdays 12-1 win over Newberry College. They have won nine conference championships since becoming a full time member of NCAA division II in 2008. In 2010, the Night Hawks carried a 51 game winning streak to the World Series before coming up just short.
Coach Davenport and his Night Hawks put everything together in 2015. They beat Dixie State 5-0 to win the Division II National Championship. The team featured Laura Spivey that played at West Laurens. She is the daughter of Dodge County Recreation Department Director Spook Spivey.
Coach Davenport was inducted into the Georgia Dugout Club Softball Hall of Fame in January 2020. He has led his team with seven years with 50 or more wins. That is incredible. Margaret and her teammates will be in Milledgeville on Sunday, April 18, 2020 for a double header against Georgia College in Peach Belt Conference play. Game time is 1:00 p.m. for game one.
Sports - Topics from April, 2021
SPORTS
Dodge wins three behind strong pitching
By Joey Marchant
Dodge swept Lamar County and defeated Jasper County in Region 3AA play behind strong pitching performances from LandIn Crummey and Brendan O’Connor.
The Indians got started with a trip to Lamar County on March 30, 2021 where they came away with a five to one win despite leaving 15 runners on base. They stranded one in the first, two each in the second, third, fourth and sixth and left the bases loaded in both the fifth and seventh. Fortunately, Landin Crummey did not require much run support on this day.
Crummey started slow allowing a base hit and walking two in the first to load the bases before getting a ground ball out to end the inning.
After allowing an infield hit to start the second, Crummey struck out two and then threw behind the runner at first allowing Noah Cummings to throw him out at second to end the inning.
Dodge scratched out a run in the top of the third when O’Connor reached on an error and stole second. Crummey struck out but hustled toward first when the catcher couldn’t hold the third strike. The throw to first got Crummey but O’Connor was able to advance to third on the throw. As a result, he scored on a ground out by Garrett Durden. Davis Marchant and Cole Cranford would follow with consecutive base hits, but Dodge couldn’t drive them in. Dodge led one to nothing.
Crummey retired the Trojans in order in the bottom of the third striking out two. Crummey singled in the top of the fourth driving in Logan Slaughter who had reached on a base hit giving Dodge a 2-0 lead. Crummey allowed two base hits in the fourth but would have escaped unscathed were it not for a Dodge error leading to a Trojan run cutting the lead to 2-1 in favor of the Indians.
Dodge added two runs in the sixth when O’Connor led off with a walk and advanced to second on an infield hit by Crummey who was replaced by courtesy runner Gage Pittman. Garrett Durden laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners to second and third. Marchant walked to load the bases. Cranford was hit by a pitch driving in O’Connor. Braylon Mincey grounded out driving in Pittman, Dodge led four to nothing.
Meanwhile Crummey was cruising as he retired seven in a row at one point. Dodge would add an insurance run in the seventh when O’Connor was hit by a pitch with two outs. He stole second and advanced to third on a passed ball before scoring on another passed ball.
Crummey appeared to run out of gas in the seventh when he hit the leadoff man and walked the next batter on four pitches. Tyler Shields came in to relieve Crummey and retired the next three batters to preserve the Dodge win. Statistical Leaders for Dodge County were as follows:
Landin Crummey was two for four with a walk and one RBI. Davis Marchant was two for three with two walks.
Cole Cranford was two for fourth with one RBI. Logan Slaughter was one for four with one run scored.
Landin Crummey pitched six innings giving up one unearned run on four hits while walking four and striking out six.
Tyler Shields pitched one inning allowing no runs and no hits striking out one.
Telfair cancelled a game with Dodge citing wet field conditions as the reason. This was already a rescheduled game after Telfair cited a busted water pipe early in the season. I do not look for this non-region game to be made up.
Dodge hosted Lamar on Friday April 2, 2021. Brendan O’Connor took the mound for Dodge and was dominant relying heavily on his curve ball to strike out 13 Trojan batters.
Dodge capitalized on five Trojan errors in route to an eight to four victory. After O’Connor induced three ground ball outs in the top of the first, he led off the bottom of the inning with a base hit. Landin Crummey followed him with a base hit. Garrett Durden got down a sacrifice bunt, and an errant throw allowed Seth Cosset who entered as a courtesy runner for O’Connor to score from second. Crummey stopped at third and Durden at first. An errant pickoff throw to first went into foul territory allowing Crummey to score and Durden to advance to third. Davis Marchant singled driving in Durden. Cole Cranford followed that with a double, but Dodge could not score again and led three to zero after one.
O’Connor allowed two hits but struck out three in a scoreless second. Dodge went in order in the bottom of the second.
Lamar County would score a run on two hits in the top of the third, but O’Connor registered three more strikeouts in the inning. Dodge came right back in the bottom of the third when Garrett Durden singled and stole second. Durden scored when Cole Cranford reached on an error. Gage Pittman entered as a courtesy runner for Cranford and scored when Noah Cummings reached on an error. Dodge led five to one.
O’Connor struck out the side in the fourth and two more in the fifth as well as two in the sixth before being pulled because of his pitch count. Tyler Shields came into get the last out of the top of the sixth on a strikeout.
After going quietly in the fourth and fifth, Dodge added three runs in the sixth. Kade Harpe got things started when he was hit by a pitch and stole second. O’Connor singled to drive in Harpe, and Landin Crummey walked. Garrett Durden singled driving in O’Connor. Davis Marchant drove in Crummey on a ground out. Dodge led 8-1.
Lamar was able to score three off Shields in the seventh on a bases clearing double, but he eventually shut the Trojans down ending the game with Dodge on top eight to four.
Statistical leaders for Dodge were as follows:
Brendan O’Connor was two for four with one run and one RBI.
Landin Crummey was one for three with a walk and two runs.
Garrett Durden was two for four with two runs and one RBI.
Davis Marchant was one for four with two RBI.
Cole Cranford was one for three with a Double.
Brendan O’Connor pitched five and two third innings allowing one earned run on five hits while walking four and striking out 13.
Dodge traveled to Monticello on April 5, 2021 for a makeup game with the Jasper County Hurricanes. This was a pitching duel with Dodge coming away with a three to zero victory.
Landin Crummey got the start and pitched a complete game shutout. Crummey had some trouble in each of the first three innings as he walked the leadoff batter in each inning but battled back to escape trouble each time. He would not allow a hit until two outs in the fourth inning.
Dodge managed two hits through five innings. Those came off the bats of Kade Harpe and Cole Cranford. Dodge finally broke through in the sixth. O’Connor smoked a ball over the head of the left fielder which bounced over the fence for a ground rule double with one out. Crummey hit a blooper that fell between the shortstop and center fielder. O’Connor had to hold at second because it appeared the ball might be caught. Aron Barden entered as a courtesy runner for Crummey. Garret Durden hit a single over third base scoring O’Connor. With runners at first and second, Davis Marchant hit a ground ball to the right side to advance the runners to second and third. The pitcher was then called for a balk scoring Barden and advancing Durden to third. Cole Cranford reached on a throwing error allowing Durden to score. Braylon Mincey followed that up with his first varsity hit, but Dodge could not score again.
With Dodge leading three to zero, Crummey walked one in a scoreless bottom of the sixth and came back out to try and get through the seventh. Crummey got the first batter to ground out. He walked the next batter. That was followed by an error; Dodge’s first of the game, which brought the tying run to the plate. A line drive to centerfield was caught by Harpe for out two, and Harpe was able to double off the runner at second who could not get back in time giving Dodge a three to zero victory.
Statistical Leaders for Dodge were as follows:
Brendan O’Connor was one for four with a Double and one run.
Landin Crummey was one for three with a walk.
Garrett Durden was one for four with one RBI and one run.
Cole Cranford was one for three.
Braylon Mincey was one for three.
Kade Harpe was one for three.
Crummey pitched seven scoreless innings allowing two hits walking four and striking out three.
The Indians improve to ten and four overall and four and two in region play.
Dodge was scheduled to host the Northeast Raiders for a doubleheader on April 6, 2021 but results of those games were not available at press time.
By Joey Marchant
Dodge swept Lamar County and defeated Jasper County in Region 3AA play behind strong pitching performances from LandIn Crummey and Brendan O’Connor.
The Indians got started with a trip to Lamar County on March 30, 2021 where they came away with a five to one win despite leaving 15 runners on base. They stranded one in the first, two each in the second, third, fourth and sixth and left the bases loaded in both the fifth and seventh. Fortunately, Landin Crummey did not require much run support on this day.
Crummey started slow allowing a base hit and walking two in the first to load the bases before getting a ground ball out to end the inning.
After allowing an infield hit to start the second, Crummey struck out two and then threw behind the runner at first allowing Noah Cummings to throw him out at second to end the inning.
Dodge scratched out a run in the top of the third when O’Connor reached on an error and stole second. Crummey struck out but hustled toward first when the catcher couldn’t hold the third strike. The throw to first got Crummey but O’Connor was able to advance to third on the throw. As a result, he scored on a ground out by Garrett Durden. Davis Marchant and Cole Cranford would follow with consecutive base hits, but Dodge couldn’t drive them in. Dodge led one to nothing.
Crummey retired the Trojans in order in the bottom of the third striking out two. Crummey singled in the top of the fourth driving in Logan Slaughter who had reached on a base hit giving Dodge a 2-0 lead. Crummey allowed two base hits in the fourth but would have escaped unscathed were it not for a Dodge error leading to a Trojan run cutting the lead to 2-1 in favor of the Indians.
Dodge added two runs in the sixth when O’Connor led off with a walk and advanced to second on an infield hit by Crummey who was replaced by courtesy runner Gage Pittman. Garrett Durden laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners to second and third. Marchant walked to load the bases. Cranford was hit by a pitch driving in O’Connor. Braylon Mincey grounded out driving in Pittman, Dodge led four to nothing.
Meanwhile Crummey was cruising as he retired seven in a row at one point. Dodge would add an insurance run in the seventh when O’Connor was hit by a pitch with two outs. He stole second and advanced to third on a passed ball before scoring on another passed ball.
Crummey appeared to run out of gas in the seventh when he hit the leadoff man and walked the next batter on four pitches. Tyler Shields came in to relieve Crummey and retired the next three batters to preserve the Dodge win. Statistical Leaders for Dodge County were as follows:
Landin Crummey was two for four with a walk and one RBI. Davis Marchant was two for three with two walks.
Cole Cranford was two for fourth with one RBI. Logan Slaughter was one for four with one run scored.
Landin Crummey pitched six innings giving up one unearned run on four hits while walking four and striking out six.
Tyler Shields pitched one inning allowing no runs and no hits striking out one.
Telfair cancelled a game with Dodge citing wet field conditions as the reason. This was already a rescheduled game after Telfair cited a busted water pipe early in the season. I do not look for this non-region game to be made up.
Dodge hosted Lamar on Friday April 2, 2021. Brendan O’Connor took the mound for Dodge and was dominant relying heavily on his curve ball to strike out 13 Trojan batters.
Dodge capitalized on five Trojan errors in route to an eight to four victory. After O’Connor induced three ground ball outs in the top of the first, he led off the bottom of the inning with a base hit. Landin Crummey followed him with a base hit. Garrett Durden got down a sacrifice bunt, and an errant throw allowed Seth Cosset who entered as a courtesy runner for O’Connor to score from second. Crummey stopped at third and Durden at first. An errant pickoff throw to first went into foul territory allowing Crummey to score and Durden to advance to third. Davis Marchant singled driving in Durden. Cole Cranford followed that with a double, but Dodge could not score again and led three to zero after one.
O’Connor allowed two hits but struck out three in a scoreless second. Dodge went in order in the bottom of the second.
Lamar County would score a run on two hits in the top of the third, but O’Connor registered three more strikeouts in the inning. Dodge came right back in the bottom of the third when Garrett Durden singled and stole second. Durden scored when Cole Cranford reached on an error. Gage Pittman entered as a courtesy runner for Cranford and scored when Noah Cummings reached on an error. Dodge led five to one.
O’Connor struck out the side in the fourth and two more in the fifth as well as two in the sixth before being pulled because of his pitch count. Tyler Shields came into get the last out of the top of the sixth on a strikeout.
After going quietly in the fourth and fifth, Dodge added three runs in the sixth. Kade Harpe got things started when he was hit by a pitch and stole second. O’Connor singled to drive in Harpe, and Landin Crummey walked. Garrett Durden singled driving in O’Connor. Davis Marchant drove in Crummey on a ground out. Dodge led 8-1.
Lamar was able to score three off Shields in the seventh on a bases clearing double, but he eventually shut the Trojans down ending the game with Dodge on top eight to four.
Statistical leaders for Dodge were as follows:
Brendan O’Connor was two for four with one run and one RBI.
Landin Crummey was one for three with a walk and two runs.
Garrett Durden was two for four with two runs and one RBI.
Davis Marchant was one for four with two RBI.
Cole Cranford was one for three with a Double.
Brendan O’Connor pitched five and two third innings allowing one earned run on five hits while walking four and striking out 13.
Dodge traveled to Monticello on April 5, 2021 for a makeup game with the Jasper County Hurricanes. This was a pitching duel with Dodge coming away with a three to zero victory.
Landin Crummey got the start and pitched a complete game shutout. Crummey had some trouble in each of the first three innings as he walked the leadoff batter in each inning but battled back to escape trouble each time. He would not allow a hit until two outs in the fourth inning.
Dodge managed two hits through five innings. Those came off the bats of Kade Harpe and Cole Cranford. Dodge finally broke through in the sixth. O’Connor smoked a ball over the head of the left fielder which bounced over the fence for a ground rule double with one out. Crummey hit a blooper that fell between the shortstop and center fielder. O’Connor had to hold at second because it appeared the ball might be caught. Aron Barden entered as a courtesy runner for Crummey. Garret Durden hit a single over third base scoring O’Connor. With runners at first and second, Davis Marchant hit a ground ball to the right side to advance the runners to second and third. The pitcher was then called for a balk scoring Barden and advancing Durden to third. Cole Cranford reached on a throwing error allowing Durden to score. Braylon Mincey followed that up with his first varsity hit, but Dodge could not score again.
With Dodge leading three to zero, Crummey walked one in a scoreless bottom of the sixth and came back out to try and get through the seventh. Crummey got the first batter to ground out. He walked the next batter. That was followed by an error; Dodge’s first of the game, which brought the tying run to the plate. A line drive to centerfield was caught by Harpe for out two, and Harpe was able to double off the runner at second who could not get back in time giving Dodge a three to zero victory.
Statistical Leaders for Dodge were as follows:
Brendan O’Connor was one for four with a Double and one run.
Landin Crummey was one for three with a walk.
Garrett Durden was one for four with one RBI and one run.
Cole Cranford was one for three.
Braylon Mincey was one for three.
Kade Harpe was one for three.
Crummey pitched seven scoreless innings allowing two hits walking four and striking out three.
The Indians improve to ten and four overall and four and two in region play.
Dodge was scheduled to host the Northeast Raiders for a doubleheader on April 6, 2021 but results of those games were not available at press time.
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