Blairsville, Ga. – The Union County High varsity softball team’s offense exploded Thursday night, August 29, scoring 16 runs during the first three frames and earning the three-inning, mercy-rule win over region-foe Putnam, 16-0.

Already leading 3-0 heading into the bottom of the second, the Panthers (6-6, 3-0 Region 8-AA) used great hitting to put six runs on the scoreboard in the inning and effectively put the game out of reach.

Megan Bright started the inning with a line-drive double to left field. She advanced to third base before scoring, both occurring on wild pitches.

The next batter, Caley Davis, walked and then stole second base, before Lexi Sisum drew a walk and Davis moved to third on a passed ball.

A tough single to shortstop from Miranda Lockaby scored Davis and moved Sisum to third.

Mary Wischmeyer followed with a single, also to shortstop, to drive Sisum in, move Lockaby to second, and push the score to 6-0.

Hannah Patton stepped to the plate and blew the game open with a powerful double to left field, scoring Lockaby and Wischmeyer and giving the Panthers an 8-0 lead.

Union continued to press the advantage, with Patton moving to third on a passed ball and then scoring when Trinity Queen rolled a groundball out to second base. The Panthers took a 9-0 lead and never looked back.

After another scoreless inning from the visiting Lady War Eagles in the top of the third, the Panthers scored another seven runs in the bottom of the frame to end the game by three-inning mercy rule.

Sisum and Lockaby both blasted doubles, while Patton, Queen, Krysten Hodges, Bright, and Davis each singled to put the mercy rule in reach. The offensive explosion gave the Panthers a 14-0 lead, with the game-ending runs on second and third with two outs.

On the first pitch of her second trip to the plate in the game, Aubrie Banton put a double into left field, scoring Hodges and Bright, and giving the Panthers a 16-0 lead and their third consecutive region win to start the 2019 season.

With the victory, Union County kept pace for the top spot in Region 8-AA with Banks County. The Lady Leopards (10-0, 3-0 Region 8-AA) defeated region opponent Oglethorpe County, 10-0, Thursday afternoon in Lexington to stay undefeated.

Union County next plays Lumpkin County (9-5, 5-1 Region 7-AAA), who won Thursday’s region game against Fannin County (1-12, 0-5), by a score of 12-2.

The Panthers will welcome the Lady Indians to Blairsville beginning at 5:55 p.m., Wednesday, September 4.

The game is also the annual “Pink Out” for cancer awareness with the junior varsity playing at 4 p.m.