The Bulloch Academy Gators softball team hosted the Edmund Burke Academy Spartans in a matchup of two teams that had gotten off to a good start. The Lady Gators defeated the Spartans 7-3.
The Bulloch Academy Gators softball team defeated the Edmund Burke Academy Spartans 7-3 at home on Wednesday, August 21st.
Both teams entered Wednesday afternoon’s game with a 4-1 record. The Gators were able to rally late and earn their fifth win of the season.
The Lady Gators provided thunder before heavy rain set in and interrupted the game.
At the beginning of the 6th inning, the score was 1-1 between the Gators and the Spartans. The Gators had 2 outs when they thought they had scored a second run with a single. However, the run was taken back and ruled a ground ball. After a long argument with the umpire, the game was continued. The Lady Gators began to force the issue when Maralyne Belcher made an extra effort to get from number 1 to number 3, which should have been a single, Kaylee Cardell. Belcher would score on a wild pitch.
Belcher’s run was the beginning of a flood of hits and runs for the Lady Gators, including a triple by Mia Harris to score even more points. Hope McCormick also tripled during the 6th inning.
Head Coach Ashley Burke was glad her team bounced back despite the questionable foul call. “I tell them to control what they can control, and I’m behind them 100%,” Burke said. “If there’s anything that could set us back, they don’t let it happen.”
At the end of the fourth period the score was still 0-0. Kaylee Cardell came on base with a double, followed by another double from McKenna Furnari. Cardell would score a goal to give the Gators a 1-0 lead in the 4th quarter.
Bulloch Academy Mckenna Furnari opposed Edmund Burke’s Kensey Felix in the game on Wednesday. Both the pitchers and the defense did a great job and held their opponents to 0 in the first three innings. Bulloch Academy’s Rylie Ann Claxton dived to catch a ground ball before sending a laser to first base to knock out the batter in the 3rd inning.
The Lady Gators won’t have time to rest before heading to Robert Toombs Christian Academy on Thursday. “It’s tough to play back-to-back,” Burke said. “It really shows how hard they work and how much they want to go out there and play and win. You tell them to just keep going, that’s all you can do.”
Bulloch Academy improves its season record to 5-1. Communication, encouragement and competition are the three key words that coach Burke has preached to her team.
“If they meet those three points, they can win any game they play in,” Burke said.
