Houston County softball sweeps Northside despite contested Game 3

WARNER ROBINS — Houston County (12-7, 6-2 Region 2-5A) got back on track after a series loss to Coffee with a sweep of Northside (10-10, 0-9 Region), despite the Lady Eagles putting up a fight in Game 3.

The Lady Bears came out swinging for an 18-1 Game 2 win in three innings, but they had a fight on their hands to get to an 11-2 final through six innings in Game 3.

Three observations:

Flipping the switch and fighting complacency

Game 2’s 18-1 score was HoCo’s biggest margin of victory against Northside since a 22-0 final in 2023, and they took full advantage of the 14 walks they received and three errors committed by the Lady Eagles’ defense.

“Game one today, our plan was to score a lot [and] score early, pass some barrels,” Lady Bears’ head coach April Collins said.

The runners took off from their bags at every pop of the bat and were aggressive leading off, daring the defense to make a mistake.

HoCo drove in 17 of their 18 runs with timely hits, though many of them came in from walks and hit-by-pitches. Kendall Carswell stole home on a wild pitch in the first inning.

When Game 3 rolled around the Lady Bears got sloppy and Northside made them pay for it early with Kadence Cooley on the mound.

Cooley only gave up two walks and four earned runs in her six innings on the mound, and helped hold HoCo to two runs through three innings.

“But going into [Game 3], sometimes when you beat somebody 18-1 you come back in the next game and you’re complacent. We just were moving slow, and I challenged them in the fourth inning, I was like, I’m looking for six or seven runs,” Collins said, referencing a meme that originated from the song “Doot Doot” by Skrilla. “They came back with five. This team wants to be pushed and challenged, and that was really what it took for us to get back and rolling and start scoring.”

The Lady Bears scored on five straight at-bats in the fourth inning, started off with a single from Alanah McKenzie and ended with an error in the outfield that scored Felicity Curtis. Curtis had a two-run home run in the sixth inning, while Ann Marie DeFore had her own solo long ball to lead off Game 3.

Challenging the team

Collins’ challenge of her team went beyond just waking up in Game 3 of the series to put it away. Several players were put in positions they don’t normally play.

Ann Marie DeFore was put at catcher with her usual spot being third base. Curtis filled her slot while Keira Powell slid in to first base.

Piper Lambert went to the outfield, too, and all of these players got a chance to test themselves as the ball came their way.

“This team said, ‘What can I do to win? What can I do to help the team?’ That’s kind of what we’ve asked these girls to do, like what can you do to help us be better,” Collins said. “Ann Marie took up that challenge, and then we had to move a couple other girls around too. They’re competing against one another to make each other better. They’re just answering our call…That’s what makes this team better, just doing what they’re asked of and being coachable.”

Still looking for their first region win + Big series coming up

Despite a hard-fought Game 3 that eventually got away from them, Northside is still looking for their first region win since 2021.

They have reached double-digit wins for the first time since 2020 after their win against Central-Macon on Monday, though their playoff drought is at risk of extending to four straight years.

The Lady Eagles are due some of their toughest region opponents up next, too, with Coffee up next week and Veterans to follow.

HoCo has a big series coming up as well as they’ll take on Veterans in what very well could be the region championship series.

At the time of writing Game 3 between Veterans and Lee County has not ended, but if they were to lose the Lady Bears would be tied for first place with them.

Should the Lady Warhawks beat the Lady Trojans, HoCo will need to win at least two, but likely all three as well as win out to claim another region title.

“It always has a lot riding on that game just because those girls are friends with those girls, they played with them, and it’s just [a] competitive [series],” Collins said. “I said this week no hibernating. If we don’t hibernate, we can attack them and come out with wins.”

UP NEXT

HoCo will rest up and prepare to travel down the road to Veterans on Tuesday, Sept. 16 at 6 p.m. for Game 1.

Northside will have a non-region game at Rutland on Monday, Sept. 15 at 5 p.m. before traveling to Coffee on Tuesday, Sept. 16 at 5 p.m. for Game 1 of the series.