Ware County Lady Gators Fall To Blue Devils On Walk-Off
A walk-off left Ware County Varsity Gators on the
wrong end of a 6-5 defeat to Blue Devils on Thursday. The game was tied at five in the bottom of the tenth when Reagan Middleton induced Kaylee Deal to hit into a fielder's choice, but one run scored.
Ware lost despite out-hitting Statesboro eight to seven. Aniston Delk and Raygan Dixon each collected two hits for the Lady Gators.
A single by Mincey Akins put the Blue Devils on the board in the bottom of the third. Ware County captured the lead, 3-2, in the top of the sixth after Delk singled, Kaleigh Joiner hit a sacrifice fly, and courtesy runner, Ashlyn Jacobs, scored on a wild pitch, each scoring one run.
The Lady Gators committed an error, which helped the Blue Devils tie the game at three in the bottom of the sixth. In the top of the eighth, Ware broke up the tie when Joiner grounded out, scoring one run. Then a single by LaNeeya Garrison followed to extend the lead to 5-3. The Lady Gators committed an error, which helped Statesboro tie the game at five in the bottom of the eighth.
Middleton led things off in the circle for Ware. She allowed seven hits and five runs (two earned over nine and two-thirds innings, striking out five and walking two.
Akins stepped in the circle first for the Blue Devils. The pitcher gave up eight hits and five runs (two earned) over 10 innings, striking out eight and walking two.
Joiner seized on her opportunities, leading Ware with two runs batted in from the number seven spot in the lineup. The outfielder went 1-for-3 on the day.
Megan Hiers led Statesboro with two hits in five at bats. Akins provided pop in the middle of the lineup, and led the Blue Devils with two runs batted in. The right-handed hitter went 1-for-5 on the day.
Next up for Ware County Varsity Gators is a game at home on Wednesday vs. Bacon County.