By Donald Heath
Special for the Effingham Herald
SPRINGFIELD – Effingham County scored runs in nine of its 11 innings Friday afternoon in its first-round, best-of-three Class 5A state softball series against Alexander.
And the Rebels had some unexpected help with Cougar errors in nine different innings.
The combination made it an easier-than-expected day as ECHS defeated Alexander 10-2 and 12-3 in games stopped after six and five innings because of the Mercy Rule.
The Rebels (20-3) advanced to play at Loganville in a best-of-three series in the Sweet Sixteen with the winner advancing to Columbus – the site of the Elite Eight state championship.
“We knew if we put it in play we’d have a shot. We put some pressure on them and our big boppers came up big,” ECHS coach Brad Thompson said.
The first inning of the first game against Alexander began a recurring theme. Megan Coleman and Ansleigh Giordano led off with singles. Gracie LaFleur followed with a two-run double and Olivia Morgan’s grounder was errored and the Rebels had three runs in after just four batters.
In Game 2, ECHS sent nine batters to the plate and scored three times in the first inning. In the second inning, it added six more runs after sending 11 batters to the plate in a start that resembled a merry-go-round ride.
Eight of the nine Rebel starters in the lineup had hits in the opener. ECHS had six extra base hits in the nightcap. Alexander made 12 errors on the day.
LaFleur had a big day with a homer, two doubles and four RBIs and reached base three more times (two walks and an error) in seven at bats.
Coleman and Giordano had four hits apiece. Abbi Jones had two hits and drove in five runs. Her three-run double five batters after LaFleur’s two-run homer highlighted the six-run second inning.
Jordan Tarver went 3-for-3 in the second game. Braylin Vincent had three hits, including a double off the wall in the first game.
Ava Wingate and Giordano took turns going the distance for wins on the mound.
It was an impressive performance against the No. 3 seed from Region 5 that won 18 games during the regular season.
The Rebels have won 18 of their last 19 games, but the loss came in extra innings in the Region 1 title game against rival South Effingham.
But ECHS looked reinvigorated.
“We could have talked about why we lost (to South Effingham), but we put it past us,” Thompson said. “Our goal is to go to Columbus and play on the last day of the season and that’s still alive for us.”
