No state softball titles for three local teams

Three local teams were on a quest for a state title in softball and all three stalled out short of the goal.

Starr’s Mill (32-8-1) opened play in the Elite Eight with a 8-4 loss to Collins Hill. Lindsay Glidden drove in two runs and Holly Oglesbee drove in one as both Amanda Howett and Paige Peurifoy pitched parts of the game. The Lady Panthers followed the loss with a 5-1 win over Lowndes. Lindsay Walker drove in two runs, going 2-for-3 at the plate with a double and a homerun. Lynsey Tedford and Oglesbee also had two hits in the win, while Peurfoy pitched a complete game, picking up nine strikeouts.

Starr’s Mill then got a 1-0 win over Sequoyah with Cate Rosa going 2-for-2 at the plate and scoring the lone run on a wild pitch. Howett pitched a complete game for the win, giving up two hits and striking out three batters. The next game would be the last game for the Lady Panthers and their nine seniors. Peurifoy pitched a gem for Starr’s Mill, going six and two-third of an inning, giving up four hits and striking out eight batters. Woodstock would get the winning run on a play at the plate and the softball season for Starr’s Mill was over.

“I’m very pleased with our year,” said Coach Mark Williamson. “Especially after a 1-3-1 start.” The team will graduate nine players next spring but will return Peurifoy, Jordan Aszman, Lauren Marchman and Kayla Deis to the team next year. In the 2006 season, Starr’s Mill will be playing as a part of region 4-AAAA, a region that will feature Fayette County, McIntosh, Northgate and Whitewater, among others.

East Coweta’s season also ended in the Class AAAAA elite eight. The Lady Indians (20-10) opened with a 2-0 loss to Seuoyah and followed it with a 3-2 loss to North Gwinett. Jordan Martin and Christin Robinson drove in runs in the loss to North Gwinnett. Amber May picked up the loss, striking out four batters and giving up four hits. All three players will return to the team next fall. In fact, East Coweta will only graduate four players this spring.

Northgate’s Lady Vikings opened play in the Class AAAA Elite Eight with a 4-0 over E. Paulding with Kelsey Floyd throwing a no-hitter and striking out 12 batters. The Lady Vikings then lost to Luella 2-0 with Floyd and Luella’s Brooke Loudermilk pitching solid games. Luella scored two runs in the sixth and hung on to their lead. Northgate then got a 3-0 win over Greenbrier with a wild pitch scoring the first run and hits by Chelsea Sparks and Charlie Lazar scoring the next two runs. Several errors helped Northgate defeat East Paulding 7-0 after the Greenbrier game, putting the Lady Vikings in a game against Ringgold on Saturday. Sarah Siller’s double tied the game at one run a piece but Ringgold got a run in the bottom of the seventh for a 2-1 win.

Northgate finished with a record of 29-7. They were the regular season and tournament region champs for the third straight season.

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