Woodland forces rubber game in region playoff series with Paulding
After falling 12-5 to Paulding County in the first game of their Region 7-AAAAA playoff doubleheader Thursday evening, Woodland bounced back to force a deciding game Friday with an 11-3, five inning win in Game 2.
Sarah Baynard, who pitched every inning for Woodland, bounced back in the nightcap to limit the Lady Patriots to only three runs on seven hits and five walks to pick up the win in the circle. Baynard struck out two.
Playing as the visiting team in the second game, the Lady Cats scored three runs in the top of first and led 3-2 going to the fourth inning.
Woodland then posted a five-spot in the fourth and added three more runs in the fifth to put the game away and even the series.
The Lady Cats out hit Paulding eleven to seven and took advantage of seven defensive miscues by the Lady Patriots in the second game.
Abbie Crawford hit a two-run homer for Paulding County in the bottom of the first inning and added another hit and RBI to account for all the Patriots’ runs. Crawford also pitched both complete games for Paulding.
Skylar Chappell (RBI), Caroline Higdon (RBI), Madgie Robinson and Brittney Cox (2 RBIs) had two hits each for the Lady Cats in their win. Emma Jordan added a single and three RBIs. Jordan Duck (2 RBIs) and Bella Carnes also had hits.
GAME ONE
PAULDING COUNTY 12, WOODLAND 5
Woodland fell behind early and never recovered in the opening game.
Paulding led 6-0 after 4 and 1/2 innings before the Lady Cats got on the board with a pair of runs in the bottom of the fifth to narrow the margin to 6-2.
The Lady Patriots matched those two runs with two of the own the next inning.
Woodland struck for three runs in the bottom of the sixth, but Paulding put the game away with a four run seventh and a seven run win.
Paulding out hit Woodland fifteen to eight in Game 1 and were able to win despite committing five errors.
Crawford (7 IP, 5R, 2ER, 8H, 1BB, 6K) was the winning pitcher for the Lady Patriots in the first game. Macey Jauregui, Kayla Tucker, and Crawford combined for nine hits and nine RBIs. Makayla Powell and Crawford both hit home runs for Paulding County.
Cox and Jordan had two hits each for the Lady Cats in the opening game. Carnes (2 RBIs), Robinson, Jamison Kilgo, and Audrey Morris had one hit each. Chappell added one RBI.
Baynard (7 IP, 12R, 11ER, 15H, 5BB, 6K) suffered the pitching loss in Game 1.
Woodland (11-17) and Paulding County (9-15) return to the Lady Cats’ diamond Friday afternoon at 5pm for a third and deciding game in the series. The winner advances to the region semifinals and locks down a spot in the Class AAAAA state playoffs.
