The Dodge County High School Lady Indians began their state tournament play last Wednesday as they traveled to Morgan County. Dodge dropped game one, 5-4, and rallied to win game two, 10-8, that would force a third and deciding game on Thursday.
The Lady Indians jumped out to a 3-0 lead and would hang on for a 5-4 win.
Now, Dodge will travel to Brantley County for a best of three series, with a trip to Columbus on the line.
Wednesday will be a double header at 2:00 p.m. and 4:00 p.m. A third game would be played in Brantley County if the double header is split.
The Lady Indians got off to a rough start in the first game. Dodge trailed 5-0 going to the sixth. Claire and Caitlin Greer opened the inning with singles. Katie Selph hit a long homer to left center cutting it to a 5-3 game. Hits from Hannah and Annie Moore and Nikki Graham loaded the bases.Lila Coleman would walk, forcing in Hannah Moore for a 5-4 game.
Dodge would get no more and trail 5-4 going into the seventh. The Lady Indians would open the inning with two hits, but couldn’t push the tying run across, and fell5-4. Caitlin Greer had three hits and Katie Selph had three RBI’s in the game for Dodge.
Dodge would be the home team in game two and they would grab the early lead. Jaye Hilliard would single to lead off first base and steal second and third. Catlin Greer’s sacrifice fly would give Dodge a 1-0 lead.
The Lady Indians would have a big second inning. Hannah and Annie Moore would single to begin the inning. A walk to Nikki Graham loaded the bases with no outs. Lila Coleman and Blakelyn Bundick would both walk, scoring both Annie and Hannah Moore, and Dodge would jump out to a 3-0 lead. Claire Greer grounded into a fielder’s choice and Graham scored for a 4-0 lead. Selph would double in a run and Hannah Moore would double in a pair to finish off a seven run second and an 8-0 Dodge lead.
Morgan County would score three runs to cut the lead to 8-3 going into the Dodge third. Freshman Nikki Graham would hit a solo homer to give Dodge a 9-3 lead.
Morgan continued to chop away at the Dodge lead as the Lady Indians would take a 9-6 lead going into the bottom of the sixth. Lila Coleman would reach on a lead off single. Hilliard would reach on a fielder’s choice to give Dodge a 10-6 lead going into the seventh. Morgan would score a pair of runs to get close to Dodge, but Dodge would hang on for a 10-8 win. Katie Selph was the winning pitcher for the Lady Indians.
The Dodge win forced a winner-take-all game three on Thursday in Morgan County. Dodge won the coin toss and would be the home team in the final game. Dodge would jump out to an early lead in the first. Jaye Hilliard would single to lead things off. Claire Greer would follow with a single, while Caitlin Greer remained hot singling home Hilliard for a 1-0 Dodge lead. Groundouts for Katie Selph and Hannah Moore would give Dodge a 3-0 lead after the first.
Morgan would cut the lead to 3-2 with a pair of runs in the top of the fourth. Dodge would rally back in the bottom of the fourth. Hannah and Annie Moore would single to begin the inning. Nikki Graham would single in Hannah Moore for a 4-2 Dodge lead. Blakelyn Bundick’s sacrifice fly scored Annie Moore and Dodge would take a 5-2 lead.
The lead would remain 5-2 going into the Morgan County seventh. They would rally with a pair of runs for a 5-4 game, with a tying run at second. Selph would induce a ground ball to Hilliard and she would throw her out to give Dodge a 5-4 win. Katie Selph allowed only four hits to get the win. Claire Greer had three hits in the game for Dodge. Jaye Hilliard, Caitlin Greer and Annie Moore all had two hits each in the win.
