By Russ Ragan
The Dodge County High School Lady Indians advanced to the “Sweet 16” in the AAA state softball tournament on Wednesday, October 14 as they blasted Decatur 13 to 0 and 15 to 0 in a doubleheader. Dodge will now have to hit the road and play a doubleheader on Wednesday, October 21 at Central Carrollton, a third game, if needed would be played on Thursday, October 22 on the road. Central will enter the game ranked number six with a 21 and 9 record. They survived a major scare in the first round as they just got by a 10 and 16 Jefferson with a 1 to 0 win in the third game last Thursday. The Lady Indians come in with a 27 and 7 record and ranked seventh in AAA. These teams met twice last year in Columbus with both teams winning a game.
Caitlyn Gooch crosses home plate on a single from Allie Varnadoe. (Photo by Cindy Eckles)
Lady Indians advance to “Sweet 16” in AAA state softball tournament; meet Central Carrollton first
Meanwhile, there was little drama in Dodge last Wednesday. Lizzie Massingill got the call on the mound for Dodge. She has a 1-2-3 first and to the plate came Dodge. Faith Manning and Margaret Simmons singled with one out. Abby Christian Manning singled home Simmons with a two out single for a 1 to 0 lead. Massingill reached on an error that scored Abby Christian Manning and Haley Holloway for a 3 to 0 lead after the first.
Massingill had a quick second that included a strikeout. Dodge kept the bats going in the second. Julianna Belflower singled to lead off the inning. Allie Varnadoe doubled to put runners on second and third. Faith Manning reached on an error to score Belflower for a 4 to 0 lead. A sacrifice fly by Simmons scored Varnadoe for a 5 to 0 lead after two.
Massingill had a pair of strikeouts in the third and Dodge came right back to the plate. Abby Christian Manning singled and advanced to second on an error to lead off the inning. Dodge made it 6 to 0 as Caitlyn Gooch singled home Abby Christian Manning. Dodge rallied for more as Kiley Dix singled with two out and Varnadoe singled home Gooch for a 7 to 0 game. Faith Manning singled to load the bases. Simmons would single home Dix and Varnadoe for a 9 to 0 lead going to the fourth.
Decatur could still do nothing with Massingill as she had a 1-2-3 fourth. The Lady Indians needed just three runs to put this one away. Massingill led off the inning with a double and she advanced to third on a wild pitch. A single from Gooch made it a 10 to 0 game. A hit from Belflower and Varnadoe took a pitch square in the back to load the bases for Faith Manning. She hit a shot to left-center to unload the bases and a 13 to 0 game and the run rule ended the game.
Dodge would be the guest for the second game. The Lady Indians went down in order for the first time in the top of the first. Massingill started the second game and had a pair of strikeouts. Decatur did get a hit so thoughts of a double perfect game were over.
The game was actually scoreless going to the top of the second and trust me the second lasted a while. So here we go with the second inning run down. Abby Christian Manning singled to lead off the inning and Gooch doubled her home for a 1 to 0 game. Hits from Jacey Dowdy and Massingill loaded the bases. Belflower tripled to left-center and that scored Gooch, Dowdy and Massingill for a 4 to 0 game. Dix and Varnadoe singled as Belflower scored for a 5 to 0 game. Faith Manning doubled home Dix and Varnadoe for a 7 to 0 game. Hits from Simmons and Abby Christian Manning scored another pair of runs for a 9 to 0 lead and there were a grand total of no outs in the inning! Dix finally singled home Jacey Dowdy and Massingill to wrap up the 11 run inning and an 11 to 0 lead.
Dodge changed pitchers as Jade Dowdy took over on the mound. She allowed just three hits and had a strikeout as Dodge came to bat in the fifth with the 11 to 0 lead. Dix singled and Faith Manning walked with one out. Simmons blasted a three-run homer to right-center for a 14 to 0 game. Gooch drove in Amber Maxwell with the innings final run for a 15 to 0 game. Dowdy wrapped up her four inning of shutout relief to earn the save. Yes, despite the score Dowdy does get the save because she pitched three or more innings. Next week will be closer for sure, but I really like the team’s chance.
Game time for the first in the doubleheader on Wednesday will be at 4:00 p.m. and it will be broadcast on Wolf 97.5.
Massingill had a quick second that included a strikeout. Dodge kept the bats going in the second. Julianna Belflower singled to lead off the inning. Allie Varnadoe doubled to put runners on second and third. Faith Manning reached on an error to score Belflower for a 4 to 0 lead. A sacrifice fly by Simmons scored Varnadoe for a 5 to 0 lead after two.
Massingill had a pair of strikeouts in the third and Dodge came right back to the plate. Abby Christian Manning singled and advanced to second on an error to lead off the inning. Dodge made it 6 to 0 as Caitlyn Gooch singled home Abby Christian Manning. Dodge rallied for more as Kiley Dix singled with two out and Varnadoe singled home Gooch for a 7 to 0 game. Faith Manning singled to load the bases. Simmons would single home Dix and Varnadoe for a 9 to 0 lead going to the fourth.
Decatur could still do nothing with Massingill as she had a 1-2-3 fourth. The Lady Indians needed just three runs to put this one away. Massingill led off the inning with a double and she advanced to third on a wild pitch. A single from Gooch made it a 10 to 0 game. A hit from Belflower and Varnadoe took a pitch square in the back to load the bases for Faith Manning. She hit a shot to left-center to unload the bases and a 13 to 0 game and the run rule ended the game.
Dodge would be the guest for the second game. The Lady Indians went down in order for the first time in the top of the first. Massingill started the second game and had a pair of strikeouts. Decatur did get a hit so thoughts of a double perfect game were over.
The game was actually scoreless going to the top of the second and trust me the second lasted a while. So here we go with the second inning run down. Abby Christian Manning singled to lead off the inning and Gooch doubled her home for a 1 to 0 game. Hits from Jacey Dowdy and Massingill loaded the bases. Belflower tripled to left-center and that scored Gooch, Dowdy and Massingill for a 4 to 0 game. Dix and Varnadoe singled as Belflower scored for a 5 to 0 game. Faith Manning doubled home Dix and Varnadoe for a 7 to 0 game. Hits from Simmons and Abby Christian Manning scored another pair of runs for a 9 to 0 lead and there were a grand total of no outs in the inning! Dix finally singled home Jacey Dowdy and Massingill to wrap up the 11 run inning and an 11 to 0 lead.
Dodge changed pitchers as Jade Dowdy took over on the mound. She allowed just three hits and had a strikeout as Dodge came to bat in the fifth with the 11 to 0 lead. Dix singled and Faith Manning walked with one out. Simmons blasted a three-run homer to right-center for a 14 to 0 game. Gooch drove in Amber Maxwell with the innings final run for a 15 to 0 game. Dowdy wrapped up her four inning of shutout relief to earn the save. Yes, despite the score Dowdy does get the save because she pitched three or more innings. Next week will be closer for sure, but I really like the team’s chance.
Game time for the first in the doubleheader on Wednesday will be at 4:00 p.m. and it will be broadcast on Wolf 97.5.
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