Indians Into Sweet 16
The Indians softball team of Vidalia High School kept their season rolling as they swept the Eagles of Josey in the first round of the GHSA State AA Playoffs. Vidalia rolled to two run-rule games at home on Tuesday of last week. VHS outscored Josey 41-0 combined over the two games. Vidalia is the #1 seed out of Region 2AA and the #1 team in the state, and Josey was the #4 seed out of Region 4AA.
Game 1
Bailey Holland was in the circle for the first game of the series, and in the top of the first inning she had no problems as Josey went three-up, three- down. In the bottom of the first inning after two quick pop outs, Emma Humphrey walked, and then stole second and third. She was driven in on a double by Alli Taufmann to put VHS up 1-0. Taufmann stole third and then scored on a wild pitch for a 2-0 lead. Rileigh Robinson walked, and then Jesslyn Collins drove a ball down the left field line for a 3-0 lead for the Indians. A groundout for the third out sent the game to the second inning. In the top of the second Josey again did not get anyone on base. In the bottom of the frame the Indians put the game away as they added seven more runs. Emma Vinson led off with a triple and then was hit in on a single by Madison Starr. Holland walked and then Humphrey made it 5-0.
Taufmann walked to load the bases. A sacrifice fly by Robinson made it 6-0, Collins drove in two more for an 8-0 lead. Vinson then drove in two more as VHS pushed the lead to 10-0 heading to the third inning.
In the bottom of the third inning Tori Wright walked. Holland walked to put two runners on base, and then a hit by Humphrey drove in Wright. Taufmann got a hit to load the bases. Ryleigh Seidling walked to bring in a run, and Shayla Bennett drove in a run for a 13-0 lead. Maggie Beach walked for a 14-0 lead, and then Janna Hyers hit a shot down the third base line to score the final run of the game in a 15-0 run rule victory.
Holland got the win for VHS and struck out eight batters out of a total of nine outs in the threeinning game and did not give up a hit.
Game 2
In the second game the Indians were the visitors and jumped out to a big lead in the top of the first inning. Wright led off the game with a solo homerun to left field to put VHS on top 1-0. Holland walked and then moved over to second and then third on wild pitches. Humphrey walked to put runners at the corners, and then a hit by Taufmann drove in a run. Collins drove in two runs, and then after loading the bases a run scored on a walk. By the end of the inning VHS was on top 8-0. Tymber Harris started in the circle in Game 2, and Starr also got some time as pitcher as the Indians were trying to get all their pitchers some work. In the top of the second inning VHS put 16 runs on the board including a three-run homerun by Hyers. With VHS on top 24-0 they had runners come off the base early to get outs as they were showing good sportsmanship toward the overmatched Josey team.
VHS added two runs in the top of the third inning as they won the second game 26-0 over Josey to sweep the series.
With the win VHS moved on to the Sweet 16 in the playoffs. This week the Indians hosted Elbert County on Tuesday for the first two games of a best-of-three series. VHS comes into the series with a record of 26-5, and Elbert County’s Blue Devils are 15-9. Elbert is the #2 seed out of Region 8AA. If a Game 3 is needed, it will be played at VHS on Wednesday with the time TBA.
