3rd Place For Lyons 14U Boys
The Lyons Recreation Department 14U Boys brought home some hardware from Statesboro last week, securing a third-place finish at the GRPA State Softball Tournament to cap off a successful summer campaign.
LRD vs. S. Bryan
The state run began with a tough draw against South Bryan County. South Bryan built a 5-0 advantage by the third inning before Lyons found its footing. A tworun third and a three-run fourth erased the deficit, knotting the score at 5-5.
The tie was shortlived, as South Bryan answered with a four-run fifth inning. Lyons clawed back with two runs in the bottom half and scratched across another in the seventh, but the rally stalled there in a tight 9-8 loss.
LRD vs. Gainesville
Pushed into the losers' bracket, Lyons faced Gainesville in an offensive shootout. A busy first inning left the teams tied at 4-4 before Gainesville plated three in the second to regain control. The LRD squad kept battling, responding with three runs in the third to draw even once more.
After Gainesville edged ahead with a single run in the top of the fifth, Lyons broke the game open. A massive five-run bottom half of the frame shifted the momentum permanently, and a final insurance run in the sixth sealed a 13-8 victory.
LRD vs. Bainbridge
The elimination gauntlet continued against Bainbridge, producing the most dramatic finish of the week. Lyons commanded the early frames, turning a 2-2 tie into a 7-2 cushion with a five-run surge in the second. By the fourth inning, they held a comfortable 8-3 lead.
Bainbridge refused to fold, chipping away with two runs in the fifth and three in the sixth to erase the advantage. Deadlocked at 8-8 in the bottom of the seventh, Lyons manufactured the winning run. A sacrifice fly brought the runner home for a 9-8 walk-off win, fueled by a clutch three-RBI performance from Hudson DeLoach.
LRD vs. S. Bryan
That victory earned Lyons a shot at redemption in the semifinal, setting up a rematch with South Bryan. This time, Lyons struck first. A three-run opening frame and another run in the third built an early 4-1 lead.
The momentum flipped abruptly in the bottom of the third when South Bryan erupted for six runs. Two more in the fourth stretched the deficit to 9-4. Lyons managed a pair of runs in the sixth but couldn't replicate their earlier comeback magic, falling 9-6 to end the week. Despite the tough exit, the third-place state finish capped a strong run for the 14U squad, adding state hardware to a season that already included a District Championship.
