Western weathers storms, wins District softball at WRALL

Through two weather delays Tuesday, the back-and-forth softball rivalry between Warner Robins American Little League and Western Little League of Macon went back to Western for 2016.

Georgia’s District 5 championship for 11-12 girls was again a best-of-3 series between these two programs, and Western denied WRALL its bid to return to the Southeastern Regional tournament by sweeping two straight victories. On Monday, Western held down Warner Robins American’s offense to win 4-1, and on Tuesday the weather was as big a story as the Macon group’s offense. Game 2 ended 14-4 after five innings.

But those five innings took nearly five hours to complete thanks to rain and lightning.

It was the wind that first made its mark on players and spectators during the first inning. It ended without any scoring, though Western had the only hit playing as the home team. WRALL shortstop Kasey Gibson was involved in all three outs, including tagging out the would-be base stealer. That throw came from catcher Catherine Hickey.

In the bottom of the second, as strong gusts continued to blow towards the outfield, Western scratched across one run thanks to a one-out flare single into right field. With two outs, there was a single on the ground plated that first run.

Western then went up 2-0 in the bottom of the third on three hits, the scoring safety also coming with two down. Avery Smith at third base gave WRALL a key force-out at her bag and Nichole Chavous, second baseman, squeezed a pop-up prior to Western going up 2-0.

The Warner Robins American bats were held to one baserunner and no hits against perfectly placed defenders (one strikeout) for three innings. But in the top of the fourth Hickey singled to lead off and Haliey Daughtry bashed a first-pitch double to the left-center wall. Hickey scored, and CC Luna advanced Daughtry to third base. Gibson drove her RBI double high to the left-center gap and tied the game 2-2.

Western reclaimed the lead for good in the home fourth using its own deep two-run double. It was 5-2 with one out when players left the field for the first – and longest – weather delay.

Play resumed, and so did the Western rally. They loaded the bases and brought in four more runs, the highlight hit being a two-run double.

Down 9-2 in the fifth, WRALL staged a straight two-out scoring spurt starting with Chavous’ single. Hickey popped up a softball dropped in the outfield, and Daughtry made them pay burning the right fielder for two RBI (9-4).

But it was all over in the bottom half, a turn split in two by a second lightning delay that occurred with the bases loaded and no one out. As it was nearing 11 p.m. (first pitch at 6), Western scored five times on three hits and one walk.

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