Hillgrove
scored the only run of the opener, and had two multi-run innings to
pull away for a 6-0 victory in the nightcap in a Class AAAAAA round of
16 series.
Alcovy,
the Region 2 champions for the third consecutive season, was defeated
by Hillgrove in a second round series for the second time in three
seasons.
The
visitors from Cobb County took control of game two immediately, getting
to Kaila Johnson for three runs in the bottom of the first. Eryn Render
drew a one-out walk and stole second, and after a strikeout, Kathryn
Jackson ripped a double to the left-center field gap for the first run
of the game. The Hawks weren’t done as Savannah Stewart and Ambria Derry
followed with singles, the last of which chased home pinch-runner
Madyson Gibbons for a 2-0 advantage.
Johnson’s wild pitch made it 3-0 in what turned out to be more than enough run support for Evans.
The
Florida State commitment allowed Johnson to get the better of her in
two trips to the plate, including an infield single in the second in
which Johnson later stole third, but was stranded, and when Johnson
roped a triple to dead center field to start the fourth, but also never
moved off third. Evans closed the fourth with three consecutive
strikeouts, then picked up two more to open the fifth.
By
that time, Hillgrove had built a 6-0 lead thanks to an unearned run on a
three-base error by Alcovy right fielder Holley Murphy in the third and
Michelle Forrester’s two-run single in the fourth.
Evans
struck out eight in five innings of work and though Johnson went
2-for-2 (she also added a double in the sixth off southpaw reliever
Taylor DeCelles and was a home run shy of the cycle), the rest of the
Alcovy lineup went just 1-for-15 against Evans.
The right-hander was even better in the opener, a 1-0 Hillgrove triumph.
She
allowed just one hit - a fourth-inning single to Raven Smith - and
walked two, completing an 87-pitch gem with 12 strikeouts.
Alcovy
didn’t have many opportunities against Evans, but the hosts’ best
chance to score came in their final at bat. After Smith popped out,
Johnson drew a walk as the potential tying run and was sacrificed to
second by Jordyn White.
Johnson
took a huge gamble on Evans’ 0-2 pitch to Madison Beazley, taking off
for third and making it standing with a stole base. Beazley struck out
on the next pitch to put Alcovy on the brink of elimination.
Hillgrove
broke through with a run in the top of the fifth to snap a scoreless
tie. Ashley Allen had struck out on three pitches against Johnson in her
first plate appearance in the second, but it was a different story in
the fifth.
Allen
worked the count full, then fouled off three pitches. On the ninth
pitch of the at bat, Allen drew a walk. DeCelles blooped a single just
behind the second base bag to put runners at first and second with no
outs, then Render sacrificed the runners to second and third.
Forrester
lofted a sacrifice fly to center field that chased home Allen for a 1-0
lead. DeCelles had moved to third on the sacrifice fly, but was
stranded when Murphy made a nice running catch towards the foul line on
Jackson’s fly ball for the third out. That became a common themes for
the Hawks, who left at least one runner on base in all seven innings,
including six in scoring position against Johnson, a tough-luck loser
despite allowing just the one earned run in a complete game effort.
Evans
retired the first seven batters she faced before Emma Waddell walked
with one out in the third. Smith’s one-out single in the fourth was the
last base-runner for Alcovy until Johnson polished off a seven-pitch at
bat with the seventh-inning walk.
Photo: Alcovy's Holley Murphy bats against Abby Evans of Hillgrove during a second round series in Covington.
Photo: Alcovy's Holley Murphy bats against Abby Evans of Hillgrove during a second round series in Covington.
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