Prep Softball: Northgate sweeps into Sweet 16
By DOUG GORMAN
dgorman@newnan.com
It won’t go down as Northgate’s best performance of the season, but it was good enough to get the Lady Vikings into the second round of the Class AAAAA softball tournament with a sweep of Harris County.
Northgate, which won the Class AAAA state tournament a year ago, has moved up in classification this year and took the first step toward winning another state title with the 5-2 and 8-2 doubleheader sweep over Harris County.
“We were able to come up with some big hits when we needed them,” said head coach Lisa Skelton. “We didn’t do a great job of hitting in the first game, but we really hit the ball hard in the second game.
Northgate allowed Harris County to keep the games close due to some control problems by its starting pitchers in both contests.
Carleigh Myatt pitched the opener walking five and striking out three. McKenzie Peace walked nine and struck out four in the nightcap.
Myatt came in with one out in the seventh inning of game two and struck out the last two batters to end the game.
“This is their first experience in the state tournament and they may have been just a little nervous,” Skelton said.
(To view the Photo Gallery from this series, please visit http://photos.times-herald.com/mycapture and click on Sports / Softball.)
In Game One, the Lady Vikings spotted Harris County a run in the top of the first inning. Northgate took the lead for good with three runs in the bottom of the first.
The Lady Vikings out-hit Harris County 10-4 in the opener. Andie Martin stepped up big in the first game with two hits and two RBIs. Jenna Pealor and Hannah Edge also accounted for RBIs in the Lady Vikings first game.
Taylor Williams added an RBI for Lady Tigers.
Northgate didn’t waste any time taking control of the second game.
Pealor’s three-run homer in the top of the first inning sparked a six-run outburst and the Lady Vikings never looked back.
The Lady Tigers only managed two hits, but left the bases loaded twice and were unable to score until pushing two runners home in the sixth.
Northgate out-hit Harris County 18-2 in the second game.
Martin’s solo homer in the sixth also helped the Lady Vikings offensive cause. Hannah Edge also drove in two runs.
Lauren Munoz had the lone RBI for the Lady Tigers in the second game.
Northgate moves on to play the winner of the Effingham-Evans series next. The Lady Vikings would be on the road only if Effingham wins.
“We hope we don’t have to go on the road, but we are glad we are moving on.
