Lady Indians win two out of three last week

BY RUSS RAGAN
The Dodge County High School Lady Indians won two out of three on the softball field last week including a long marathon.
The marathon would be last Monday as Dodge hosted Northside of Warner Robins. Dodge would never lead until Logan White hit a walk off double for a 9-7 win. Dodge traveled to Cordele over the weekend for the Watermelon Tournament. The Lady Indians were sharp in game one as they beat a good Laurens County team, 9-4. Dodge wasn’t quite as sharp in game two as they dropped a 4-2 game to Pierce County. Dodge will host Bleckley County next Tuesday in a big region match up.
Linzy Bowen got the start as Dodge hosted Northside. The Lady Eagles grabbed the early lead with a three run first. Bowen settled down in the second with an easy inning. Dodge would get on the board in the second as Bailey Harvey reached on an error with one out. She would score on a ground out by Ava Roland to cut the lead to 3-1.
Bowen had an easy third and Dodge would continue to chip away at the plate. Dodge would get within a run in the fourth. Bailey Harvey would single to lead off the inning and steal second and once again, score on a ground out by Ava Roland to cut the lead to 3-2.
Northside would add to the lead in the fifth with three runs for a 6-3 lead. Things didn’t look good but the Lady Indians would battle back. Ava Maxwell would hit a one out single and steal second. She would score on a ground out by Logan White for a 6-3 game.
Bowen would strand a pair of runners in the sixth at second and third on a fly ball to Makiyah Roberson in centerfield. Dodge, yet again, would chip away in the bottom of the sixth. Ava Roland would reach on an error and would advance to third on a pair of wild pitches. Gracie Lewis would single her home for a 6-4 game. Brooke Perdue would single home Carson Ethridge who was running for Lewis for a 6-5 game going into the seventh.
Bowen got a big strikeout with two runners on to keep the game at 6-5 going to the bottom of the seventh. Dylana Barton would walk with one out and she would score the tying run on a double from Ava Roland and Dodge would finally tie the game at 6-6 and to extra innings we go.
Both teams had their chances in the eighth. Both teams left two runners on so to the ninth we go still tied at 6-6. The Lady Eagles would take the lead on an unearned run in the ninth to take a 7-6 lead but Dodge would have the last swing.
Gracie Lewis would double to left center to lead off the Dodge ninth. Ava Maxwell would walk for the third time and that set the table for Brooke Perdue. Things would then get strange. The freshman hit a deep drive to left center and it looked like a walk off three run homer but some how the ball dropped in between the sign and the fence and was still in play. Anyway, Lewis scored and Maxwell would be at third and Perdue was at second for Logan White. The senior hit a deep drive to right center to score both of the freshman runners and Dodge, despite never leading walks it off for a 9-7 win in a game that lasted better than three hours. Linzy Bowen went the whole way for the win.
Dodge had their hands full on Saturday morning as they faced a good Lanier County team. Ava Maxwell reached on an error to lead off the game and he stole second and scored on a ground out by Logan White for a 1-0 Dodge lead. Brooke Perdue got the start for Dodge. She had an easy first including a strikeout. Lanier tied the game on an unearned run in the second but back come the Dodge bats. Perdue walked with one out and Logan White followed up with a single to right center. Makiyah Roberson would double to left center scoring Jessica Joiner who ran for Perdue for a 2-1 Dodge lead. Remember in softball you can run for the pitcher and catcher with no penalty. Dylana Barton would drive in White and Roberson on an error and the Dodge lead would reach 4-1. Lanier would fight back with a pair of runs in the third. Barton would strand the tying run at second with a strikeout and Dodge took a 4-3 lead to the fourth. Dodge would have a strong fourth at the plate. Maxwell would walk with one out. Perdue would double to left center putting runners at second and third. Logan White would single home Maxwell for a 5-3 lead. Roberson would be hit by a pitch to load the bases for Bailey Harvey. The senior came through with a single that scored Joiner and White for a 7-3 game. Roberson would score on an error for an 8-3 game. With two outs, second baseman Dylana Barton would hit a long homer to left center for a 9-3 lead. Perdue would fight off a late rally for a 9-4 Dodge win. The game was called after five innings due to the tournament 90-minute time limit.
Dodge faced Pierce County in their second game. This just wasn’t a good game for Dodge. Linzy Bowen pitched well as she only allowed three earned run but the only Dodge runs came from a hit from Gracie Lewis in the seventh inning scoring Harvey and Roberson but Dodge came up short in a 4-2 loss.