Wildcats take two of three at SCORE tourney including win over defending state champ
Friday evening, Woodland softball routed two-time, Class AAAA defending state champion Heritage-Catoosa 10-1 at the annual Chattanooga SCORE International tournament. The Wildcats then split a pair of games on Saturday, blanking Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe 2-0 before falling to Northwest Whitfield, 3-2. Junior pitcher Lainey Baker struck out 11 and allowed only one, unearned run on four hits and a walk in the Wildcats’ victory over Heritage Friday night. Kailey Baker (2 RBIs) and Michiah Hicks (two doubles, one RBI) paced the Woodland offense with three hits each. Morgan Cooper doubled and homered, driving in four runs in the win. Ansley Evans (double) and Cassie Jones also had two hits apiece. Hannah Miller doubled home a run, Cambrie Carrington added a hit, and Dylynn Motes drove in one run. Lainey Baker (7 IP, 0R, 3H, 1BB, 9K) fanned nine in a complete-game, shutout of Lakeview-Fort Oglethorpe Saturday and worked an inning and two-thirds of relief with five more strikeouts in the loss to Northwest Whitfield.
Cassie Jones (4 IP, 2R, 1ER, 6H, 1K) started in the circle against the Bruins. Across the two Saturday games, Kailey Baker posted three more hits. Jones had two more hits including a double and three RBIs. Hicks contributed a pair of hits. Cooper tripled and drove in one run. Evans and Carrington added one hit each.
Woodland (16-7, 8-3) hosts region-leading Calhoun (9-0 in 7-AAAAA) Tuesday. The Wildcats — who have already clinched a state playoff berth — also have a region doubleheader remaining October 1 at Hiram and non-region games with Lassiter October October 7 and 8.
COLONELS LOSE THREE STRAIGHT, BUT TAKE DOWN HERITAGE-CATOOSA
Cass (14-9, 8-4) dropped three straight tightly contested games at the SCORE Tournament, but salvaged their tournament appearance by knocking off Heritage-Catoosa in their final game, 12-10. The Colonels lost to Gordon Lee 2-0 and Villa Rica 7-6 Friday before losing to Haralson County Saturday, 3-2. Cass — currently third in Region 7-AAAAA — has a home, non-region doubleheader with Gordon Central next Saturday and has three region games remaining. The Colonels travel to Hiram September 29 and will host region-leading Calhoun in a doubleheader October 6.
