Spalding senior Haedyn Kilgore (left) takes a lead off third base while Griffin senior Cleopatra Randolph gets in position during their region tournament game Wednesday at Moseley Park in Stockbridge. (Jeff Armstrong/Daily News)
With the win, Spalding (11-10 overall) advances in the losers bracket of the tournament and clinches a berth in the 2012 Class AAAA state softball playoffs. Spalding’s win also eliminates crosstown and region foe Griffin, whose season ends with a 12-15 record. Spalding clinches a state-playoff berth for the fourth straight season while Griffin has missed state for the third straight year.
At press time, Spalding was playing Eagle’s Landing to advance further in the tournament. A loss by either team puts it out of the tourney and makes it the fourth seed in state; a win means it will be the third seed, at worse. Two more wins and Spalding could host a state playoff game.
“We didn’t look at the fact that we were playing Griffin; we took the same approach like it was any other team,” said Spalding head coach Rusty Hudson. “Lora Rape pitched well and we played great defense today. If we keep playing like that, we can beat anyone.”
On Wednesday, Spalding jumped on Griffin early just like it did Sept. 19 in their regular-season meeting (won by Spalding 7-2). In the second inning, Zorria Mann walked and Lora Rape singled off Lady Bears pitcher Forrest Dukes. After a passed ball, Mann and Rape moved to third and second, respectively. Jasmine Holland’s RBI single scored both players, staking Spalding to a 2-0 lead.
McKenleigh Kilgore’s RBI double scored Jennifer Viera from second for the 3-0 Lady Jags lead and that basically sealed the game for Spalding. Mann and Whitney Combs each had RBI singles later in the game for the final 5-0 margin.
Griffin couldn’t get anything going against Spalding pitcher Rape, as she induced several ground balls in the contest — many to Spalding third baseman Haedyn Kilgore. Griffin only had three hits and its only extra base hit was a double by Dukes in the bottom of the seventh. Rape finished her day allowing the three hits and striking out two while Dukes struck out four for Griffin.
“I really wanted to win today. I was in game-mode all day,” said Haedyn Kilgore, Spalding’s lone senior. “I didn’t want my high school career to end today. We were very focused as a team today.”
Griffin’s highlight came in the top of the seventh as left fielder Chelsea Calloway sent a strong throw home to catcher Amani Durant to tag out Mann at home.
The other three teams who will join Spalding in representing Region 4 in the state playoffs are Eagle's Landing, Locust Grove and Woodland-Stockbridge.
SPALDING HIGH
Date| Opponent |Time
8/10 |Fayette Co.% |W 4-3
8/10 |Newton Co.% |L 12-3
8/11 |E. Landing% |W 12-4
8/11 |Luella% |L 11-4
8/14 |@ Fayette Co. |L 13-1
8/16 |Jackson |L 11-2
8/21 |Dutchtown* |L 15-13
8/22 |@ Lamar Co. |W 8-6
8/30 |Stockbridge* |L 8-3
9/6 |@ E. Landing* |L 10-7
9/10 |Jonesboro* |W 13-1
9/11 |Woodland* |L 7-1
9/13 |@ L. Grove* |L 11-1
9/19 |@ Griffin* |W 7-2
9/20 |@ N. Clayton* |W 22-2
9/24 |Lamar Co. |W 10-6
9/25 |Riverdale* |W 10-2
9/26 |@ Upson-Lee* |W 14-7
*****REGION TOURNAMENT*****
10/2 |L. Grove |L 9-1
10/2 |Stockbridge |W 7-1
10/3 |Griffin |W 5-0
10/3 |E. Landing |late
10/4 |LG/Wood loser |4:00
10/10-11 |1st Rd State |TBA
GRIFFIN HIGH
Date| Opponent |Time
8/10 |Lamar Co.% |W 1-0
8/10 |Locust Grove% |L 8-0
8/11 |Jackson% |L 2-0
8/11 |Crawford Co.% |L 7-4
8/11 |Newton Co.% |W 10-1
8/21 |Riverdale* |W 12-0
8/23 |@ Woodland* |L 4-2
8/29 |@ L. Grove* |L 9-0
8/30 |E. Landing* |L 14-5
9/5 |@ N. Clayton* |W 18-0
9/6 |Stockbridge* |W 8-2
9/11 |@ Jonesboro* |W 10-0
9/13 |Dutchtown* |W 5-4
9/14 |Sprayberry# |L 4-1
9/14 |Lambert# |L 7-2
9/14 |E. Paulding# |W 1-0 (FFT)
9/15 |Lambert# |L 9-1
9/15 |Riverwood# |L 3-1
9/15 |Mt. Paran# |W 8-6
9/19 |Spalding* |L 7-2
9/24 |@ Howard |W 6-5
9/25 |@ Upson-Lee* |W 10-6
9/29 |@ Strong Rock |L 8-1
9/29 |@ Strong Rock |L 4-1
*****REGION TOURNAMENT*****
10/2 |Dutchtown |W 4-3
10/2 |Woodland |L 8-0
10/3 |Spalding |L 5-0
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