Lady Panthers sweep Toombs County to advance to Elite Eight

Blairsville, Georgia- The Union County Panthers softball team hosted Toombs County in the Sweet Sixteen of the GHSA state playoffs.

Game 1

Sophomore Sierra Burnette was the starting pitcher for the Lady Panthers and struggled early on. The Bulldogs got things started early with a leadoff double and a single. The Bulldogs scored the games first run off an infield hit that led to a double. The Bulldogs would score 2 more runs after a single to extend their lead to 3-0. Burnette got out of the inning as the Bulldogs stranded 2 runners on base. The Panthers got their offense going as Ansley Collins singled and Emma Roxbury doubled. Lexi Sisum doubled to score Collins and Roxbury to cut the deficit to 1. Burnette hit a sacrifice ground ball to advance Sisum to 3rd. Sisum scored on a passed ball to tie the game at 3. The Panthers would go hitless to end the inning. The Panthers got a quick out as the Bulldog hitter hit the ball and ran into the ball running to first which resulted in an automatic out. Burnette struck out the next 2 batters. The Panther offense would stay red hot to begin the 2nd inning, leading off with back to back singles by Aubrie Banton and Gracie Gladding. Caylee Davis would drive in Banton to give the Panthers a 4-3 lead. The Panthers would score again on a back to back passed all balls to lead 6-3. Collins hit a home run on the following pitch to extend the Panther lead to 7-3 with 0 outs. The Bulldogs would get out of the inning after a huge inning by the Panthers. Burnette was starting to find her rhythm, having an easy bottom half inning for the Panthers. Kaelyn Jones started off the inning with a single and Banton bunted to move the pinch runner to 2nd. Gladding had an RBI double to extend the Panther lead to 8-3. Davis hit a sacrifice fly to advance the pinch runner to 3rd and the throw to 3rd went into the Bulldogs dugout which scored the Panthers pinch runner. The Panthers led 9-3. The Bulldogs would get out of the inning but trailed 9-3. Burnette had another dominant inning to hold the Bulldogs scoreless. The Panthers offense was quiet in the 4th inning. The Bulldogs offense started to hit the ball well in the 4th inning, scoring a run but weren’t able to score any more. The Bulldogs trailed 9-4 after 5 innings. The Panthers were held scoreless after the Bulldogs made a pitching change but the Panthers held on to win 9-4.

Game 2

To begin game 2, Ansley Jones started the game with a walk. Jones then stole 2nd on the next pitch and stole 3rd. Burnette drove Jones in as she hit a double to give the Panthers an early 1-0 lead. Chloe Potts singled to drive in the pinch runner for Burnette to extend the lead to 2-0. Kaelyn Jones doubled as the Panthers had runners on 2nd and 3rd. Banton would groundout and the Panthers stranded runners on 2nd and 3rd. The Panthers led 2-0. The Bulldogs had back to back singles to begin the inning. The Bulldogs got on the board on a RBI double. The Bulldogs hit a 3 run home run to lead 5-2. Burnette would get out of the inning without allowing another run. The Panthers trailed 5-2. The Panthers would go hitless in the 2nd inning. The Bulldogs started the inning off with a double that was followed by a groundout. After the Panthers got the out at first, the runner at 2nd advanced to 3rd and the throw was off target which resulted in the runner advancing to home safely. The Bulldogs extended their lead to 6-2. The Panthers got out of the inning after a great line drive catch by Potts to end the inning. The Panthers offense went hitless for the second straight inning. The Bulldogs started the inning with a leadoff double  but Burnette got out of the inning, allowing no hits after the double. The Panthers had another inning of no hits. The Bulldogs had all the momentum in the game to this point. The Panthers put in Tori Tracy in to pitch in the 4th inning. Tracy had a quick inning, only letting up 1 run. Gladding started the inning a leadoff infield single. Davis and Jones had back to back fly outs. Roxbury singled with 2 outs to advance Gladding to 2nd. Sisum walked to load the bases with 2 outs. Burnette singled to score Gladding to cut the deficit to 7-3. Potts struck out looking to end the inning. Tracy had another scoreless inning to keep the Panthers within reach. Kaelyn Jones started the inning with a leadoff double. Gladding walked and the Panthers had runners on 1st and 3rd with 1 out. Gladding stole 2nd and tagged up to go to 3rd as Davis hit a sac fly to score the pinch runner for Jones. The Panthers still trailed 7-4. Ansley Jones doubled to score the pitch runner for Gladding to cut the deficit to 7-5. Roxbury singled to score Jones to cut the deficit to 7-6. Sisum singled and the Panthers had 2 runners on. Burnette grounded out to end the inning. Tracy had another quick and scoreless inning. To begin the 7th, Potts hit a pop fly that was dropped by the outfielder. Kaleyn Jones popped out. The pinch runner for Jones stole 2nd. Banton walked and the Panthers had 2 runners on with 1 out. Gladding hit a 3 run home run to put the Panthers in the lead 9-7 in the top of the 7th. The Panthers went on to score 4 more runs in the inning to extend the lead to 13-7. The Panthers put Burnette back in at pitcher for the bottom of the 7th and she had a scoreless inning. The Panthers swept Toombs County in the Sweet Sixteen to advance to the Elite Eight. The Panthers will travel to Columbus, Georgia to play in the Elite Eight.