The Dodge County 8 and under All-Star team traveled to Screven County July 8-10, 2010 for the state playoffs.
Dodge opened up play on Thursday night against Pike County. Dodge shut down Pike one, two, three in the top of the first and then went to work on offense.
Everyone on the team came to hit and Dodge took an early 6-0 lead and never slowed down.
With outstanding team defense and hitting, Dodge run-ruled Pike 15-0 in three innings.
On Friday morning Dodge County took on North Bryan County in the second round.
Dodge jumped out to a two-0 lead and it stayed that way for a while until the bats came alive later in the game and Dodge took a 14-4 victory in five innings to head to the semi-final game undefeated.
Friday afternoon a spot in the state championship game was on the line as Dodge County and Bacon County squared off as the last two undefeated teams in the tournament. Dodge was looking to avenge two losses to Bacon in the Lyons tournament earlier in All-Star competition.
The Dodge County defense was rock solid retiring Bacon in the top of the first. The entire Dodge team batted around in the bottom of the inning to take a 5-0 lead after one. Bacon County only got one runner to third the whole game and she was left stranded there on a force out at first. The team played lights out defense and got timely hits on offense to win the game 9-0 in five innings to advance to the state championship game for the second year in a row.
Saturday morning Dodge County took the field against Bacon for the title. Dodge went to work on offense right away and took an early four-zero lead.
After Dodge added another run in the second, Bacon closed the gap to 5-4 in the third innings with some nice hitting. Dodge pulled away with some breathing room in the fourth making the score 9-f4 after four innings.
n the final inning Bacon tried to mount a rally, but the left side of the infield made a great play at first, followed by a relay throw from the outfield to second and from second to home for the second out of the inning and a ground out up the middle to end the game. Dodge County 8 and under softball won 9-5 giving the 8U program back to back state titles.
The 8U team won it with solid hitting and great defense as they outscored their opponents 47-9 in four games in the state tournament and finished the All-Star season with a record of 20-four with a state championship.
Team players were Kaylee Mullis, Maddison Hardy, Reesa Dotson, Lane Barrows, Addison Trawick, Bailey Harvey, Amber Maxwell, Jessie Thomas, Jenna Hickman, Olivia Cranford, Abby Christian Manning, Anniyah Black and Laralin Rogers.
Coaches were Betsy Thomas, Ben Thomas, Tavarius Black, Tom Cranford and Kenton Haley.
