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Starr’s Mill softball defeats Union grove, goes 3-3 in Brookwood tournament

By MICHAEL BOYLAN
mboylan@TheCitizenNews.com

Going 4-3 in seven games is not what most people would consider a remarkable achievement but, for coaches and fans that follow a team throughout a season, that record may not accurately reflect the effort. Starr’s Mill’s Lady Panthers softball team has gone 4-3 over the last seven games, including one stretch in the Brookwood tournament where they won three games in a row.

Starr’s Mill kicked the whole thing off with a 4-3 win over region opponent Union Grove. Lindsey Walker and Amanda Howett each drove in a run, while Sarah Huempfner, Caitlin Rosa and Carly Taylor all went 1-for-2 at the plate. Howett pitched three innings and gave up two earned runs, while Jackie Jones pitched the remaining four innings, allowing only one hit.

The Lady Panthers then opened up the Brookwood tournament with a 1-0 loss to Greenbrier. Paige Peurifoy pitched four innings and gave up a solo homerun, while Jones pitched a perfect two innings in the loss. Starr’s Mill then ran off three wins in a row, beating Shiloh, 8-0; Collins Hill, 3-0 and N. Gwinnett, 1-0. Huempfner, Walker and Kate Kuzma each had an RBI in the win over Shiloh and Walker and Huempfner each added an RBI in the Collins Hill game as well. Rosa went 2-for-3 with two stolen bases in the North Gwinnett game and Jones drove in the winning run and picked up the win, despite taking a line drive off the arm. Peurifoy picked up the save for the Lady Panthers and Jones sat out the rest if the tournament, healing her arm. Coach Mark Williamson was hoping to see her pitch later this week.

The final two games of the tournament saw Starr’s Mill fall 5-0 to both Brookwood and Harrison. Tedford went 1-for-2 with a stolen base in the loss against Brookwood. The game against Harrison was scoreless until the eighth inning, where the Lady Panthers fell apart in the tiebreaker. Rosa, Howett and Rachel Watson each went 1-for-3, while Holly Oglesbee went 1-for-4. Peurifoy pitched five inning, allowing only one hit and Howett pitched the final three, giving up five hits and one earned run.

“We’re playing better,” said Williamson, who has seen several players step up in recent games. Hopefully, the team will continue to play better as the season edges closer to the area and state tournaments.

The Lady Panthers were due to meet South Gwinnett and Fayette County this week.