Lady Indians win a pair of region games

By Russ Ragan
The Dodge High Lady Indians had a big week as they had a pair of region games on Tuesday. Dodge overcame a slow start to beat East Laurens 13-2. Thursday was the big game as they traveled to Cochran to play Bleckley County. Junior pitcher Linzy Bowen would pitch a dazzling one hit shutout in a big 9-0 win.
The win puts Dodge in control of 3-AA play as the leader of the region at the end of the regular season and Dodge will be the top seed for the state tournament as there will be no region tournament at the end of regular season play. Dodge will play at Southwest Macon this Thursday.
Dodge hosted East Laurens last Tuesday. Dodge would trail 2-0 after the first. Freshman Dylanna Barton got the start on the mound for Dodge. She had an easy second as fellow freshman Ava Roland gunned down a would be stolen base. The Lady Indians then went to work at the plate. Gracie Lewis doubled to left center and Makiyah Roberson singled to put runners on the corners. Roberson would steal second and both runners would score on a single by Bailey Harvey and the game would be tied at 2-2. Harvey would score on a wild pitch to give Dodge the lead at 3-2. JainaVae Patillo would single and score and the Dodge lead would go to 4-2 going to the third.
Barton had a strong third with a pair of strikeouts. Aniyah Black and Logan opened the inning with a double and a single. Gracie Lewis drove home Black as she reached on an error for a 5-2 Dodge lead. Makiyah Roberson would triple to right center that scored White and Lewis for a 7-2 lead. Ava Roland singled home Roberson for an 8-2 game. Sydney Powell would single home Carson Ethridge who was running for Roland and Patillo for a 10-2 game. Black would drive in Powell for an 11-2 lead going to the fourth.
It would be an easy fourth for Barton as she had an easy inning that featured her fifth strike out. Singles from Roberson and an RBI single from Roland gave Dodge a 13-2 lead. Barton had an easy fifth for the 13-2 final. Barton pitched well allowing just three hits and two runs.
Dodge failed to score in the top of the first in the Bleckley showdown. After walking the lead off batter she struck out the next three all swinging to keep the game scoreless going to the second.
Logan White reached on an error and Gracie Lewis singled to begin the inning. One out later, Bailey Harvey singled home White for a 1-0 lead. Ava Roland reached on an error as two runs scored and the Dodge lead would be 3-0. The Lady Royals got a single to right that just got by a diving Sydney Powell with two out. Bowen got a pair of strikeouts to end the inning.
Dodge would put the game away in the third. Singles from Black, White and Lewis loaded the bases with nobody out. Makiyah Roberson would hit a double to left and when the ball got past the left fielder everyone scored and suddenly the game was 7-0 and that was a gracious plenty for Bowen. She struck out the side for the second time in three innings.
The inning did feature the only caught looking strike out Bowen had on the day. Dodge put the finishing touches to the game in the fifth. Roberson would be hit by a pitch and score on a wild pitch. Patillo would single home Harvey who also singled and the Dodge lead would reach 9-0.
The fifth for the Lady Royals featured their hardest hit of the day but Sydney Powell made a beautiful diving catch. A strike out and a fly ball to Roberson to center would do it for the 9-0 final. Bowen walked just one and struck out 10 while allowing just one hit.