Lady Panthers outlast Lady ‘Cats in Blairsville
Lady Panthers, TeamFYNSports December 22, 2019
Despite cutting the Lady Panthers’ lead to just one point twice in the final 90 seconds Saturday night, Dec. 21, the Gilmer girls basketball team couldn’t overcome a rough shooting night from the free-throw line and fell to Union Co. 54-52 in Blairsville.
Freshman Ellie Cook goes up for two of her team-high 14 points Saturday against Gilmer.
While Union Co. (9-1, 3-0 Region 8-2A) had three players score in double figures, it was a pressure defense in the second half that allowed the team to build off a six-point lead at half and take a 39-30 lead into the fourth.
Freshman Ellie Cook led the way for the Lady Panthers with a team-high 14 points, including three made 3-pointers. Senior Andelin Hill scored 12 and sophomore Ava Hunter added 11 for Union Co.
The Lady ‘Cats (8-3, 5-0 Region 6-4A) stormed back in the final frame led by strong guard play and a trapping, full-court defense that forced the home team into multiple turnovers.
Junior Emma Callihan goes up to score two of her 12 points during a two-point loss to Union Co. on Saturday.
Gilmer’s fourth-quarter surge was led by junior Emma Callihan and sophomore Elly Callihan. The pair scored 11 points combined in the period and, along with senior Bailey Teague, anchored a defense that put Gilmer right back in the game mid-way through the period.
Trailing by 10, 42-32, with 6:17 to go, junior Jasmine Staley hit a big 3-pointer from the wing, then follow on the next possession with a driving lay-up to close the gap to five with five minutes left.
Union Co. senior Kait McCarter stopped the run for a moment with a made shot, but a free-throw from Teague and made baskets from both Emma Callihan and Elly Callihan drew the Lady ‘Cats within two, 44-42, with 2:47 to go.
Senior Andelin Hill jumps to score two of her 12 points in Union Co.’s 54-52 win against Gilmer on Saturday.
Hunter and Hill hit back-to-back shots for the Lady Panthers during the next 30 seconds to push the lead back to six at 48-42.
A 5-0 run from Gilmer closed the gap to one, 48-47, with 57 seconds to go, before Hill made a pair of free throws for Union Co.
Emma Callihan scored against with 22 seconds left to close back to one point at 50-49, but senior Brooke Dockery made four-straight free throws to put the lead back to five at 55-49.
A late 3-pointer from Teague cut the lead to two, but time ran out for the Lady ‘Cats as Union Co. collected the two-point win.
Teague finished the night with a game-high 15 points for Gilmer, followed by 12 points each from Emma Callihan and Elly Callihan. Despite the strong effort, the Lady ‘Cats just couldn’t overcome going 6-of-21 as a team from the free-throw line.
Gilmer’s next regular-season game is Saturday, Jan. 4, against Fannin Co. at 4 p.m. in Ellijay.
Dockery scored nine points for Union Co., which begins play in the Towns Co. Battle of the States tournament Thursday, Dec. 26, against Walhalla at 1 p.m. in Hiawassee.
The Lady Panthers’ next regular-season game is against Rabun Co. (11-0, 3-0) on Friday, Jan. 3, in Blairsville.
Union Co. and Rabun Co. sit tied atop the Region 8-2A standings.
Ellie Cook is the TeamFYNSports Writer’s Player of the Week for the Lady Panthers!
Lady Panthers, Player of the Week, TeamFYNSports December 9, 2019
Ellie Cook is the TeamFYNSports Writer’s Player of the Week for the Lady Panthers!
Cook, a freshman point guard, has been steady in her first varsity season, helping the team set up on offense and providing strong defensive support.
Cook hit a 3-pointer in a loss to Fannin Co. on Saturday, Dec. 7. She scored six points the night before in a 52-24 win against Towns Co. in Blairsville, and put up nine points Tuesday, Dec. 3, in a 67-46 victory against Tallulah Falls at home.
Head coach Crystal Beach said Cook has been important so far this season in crucial moments.
“She didn’t have her best day against Fannin Co., so there are obviously some growing pains there for a freshman, but she has come through for us in some key spots already this season and has really played well,” Beach said.
For her efforts, Cook is the TeamFYNSports Writer’s Player of the Week for the Lady Panthers!
To be considered for the TeamFYNSports Writer’s Player of the Week, a player must play in all games the team plays during that week and must not have any unsportsmanlike conduct (ejections, etc.). Stats considered for Player of the Week run from Monday through Saturday, with Player of the Week being selected Sunday each week.
UCMS Lady Panthers beat White Co. to earn spot in championship
Sports, TeamFYNSports September 27, 2019
BLAIRSVILLE, GA – The UCMS Lady Panthers scored five runs through the first two innings and managed to fight off a surge late to take down White County, 6-4, Monday, Sept. 23, in the first round of postseason tournament play. With the win over the No. 3 Lady Warriors, the second-seeded Lady Panthers earned a spot in the conference championship game against the top-seeded Dragonettes from Pickens County.
The win against White County was the eighth in a row for the Panthers (17-2), who were led by Sierra Burnett and Georgia Patton at the plate.
Mikayla Souther fires the ball in from the outfield for the UCMS Lady Panthers. Souther had a hit and drove in a run in Union County’s 6-4 win against White Co. on Monday.
Burnett went 3-for-4 and drove in a run while Patton chipped in two hits as the only two Union County players with a multi-hit game.
Aubrie Akins, Layla Akins, and Makayla Souther drove in a run each.
After holding White County scoreless in the top of the first, the Union County bats went to work.
After Patton singled on a groundball to shortstop, Burnett smacked a flyball triple to right field. Patton scored one of her team-high three runs on the hit to give Union County the 1-0 lead.
After a pair of drawn walks and a stolen base, the Panthers had the bases loaded with one out.
Layla Akins drew a five-pitch walk, scoring Burnett, and moving the score to 2-0.
Souther then hit an RBI-groundout to first base, scoring Aubrie Akins for Union County’s last run of the inning.
Aubrie Akins stands ready at the plate for the UCMS Lady Panthers. Akins drove in a run, scored a run, and drew two walks in a 6-4 defeat of White Co. on Monday.
After a 1-2-3 inning on defense, the Panthers went back to work in bottom of the second. Patton drove a hard groundball into centerfield to earn a one-out double.
Burnett then singled to push Patton to third.
Patton and Burnett both scored due to back-to-back White County errors to give the Panthers the 5-0 lead heading into the third inning.
Union County added another run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Patton scored the last of her three runs thanks to a two-out sacrifice from Aubrie Akins to give the Panthers their final run of the game.
Trailing 6-0 heading into the top of the sixth, White County threatened. The visitors put four runs on the board and could have tied the game.
With two outs and two on base a five-pitch strikeout managed to get Union County out of the inning without further damage.
The 6-4 win earned Union County a spot in the championship game later the same day against Pickens County.
Bragg’s walk-off in the seventh gives UCMS softball the win
Featured Stories, Sports, TeamFYNSports September 20, 2019
BLAIRSVILLE, GA – A walk-off hit from Ila Bragg in the bottom of the seventh inning gave the Union County Middle softball team an 8-6 victory against Pickens County on Thursday, Sept. 19, in Blairsville, to wrap up the regular-season schedule.
With the score tied at six each and the Lady Panthers (16-2) down to their last out, Bragg stepped to the plate with two runners on base.
Facing a full count, Bragg delivered, smacking a triple to right field and driving in Aubrie Akins and Addison Kennedy to give Union County the victory.
The Lady Panthers trailed 6-5 heading into the bottom of the final inning. With the possibility of suffering just their third loss of the season becoming a reality, the team went to work.
Sloan Dyer heads to first base after knocking a two-run home run in the bottom of the first inning Thursday.
With two outs already in the inning, Sloan Dyer worked the count to earn and walk and put the tying run on first base.
Akins was then hit by a pitch, putting the game-winning run on first base and moving Dyer to second.
During the next at-bat, Kennedy hit a fly ball to left field that looked like it might end the game. But an error by the Pickens County left fielder allowed Kennedy to reach base and Dyer to score to tie the game at 6-6 and set up Bragg for the walk-off hit.
Bragg finished the game 1-for-3 with two RBIs, a walk, a triple, and a stolen base.
Dyer and Sierra Burnett were the only two Lady Panthers players with more than one hit with two apiece.
Dyer went 2-for-3 with three RBIs, two runs scored, and a two-run home run.
Sierra Burnett stands in the circle for the UCMS softball team against Pickens County. Burnett threw a complete game in the team’s victory.
Dyer’s home run happened in the bottom of the first inning to give the Lady Panthers their first runs of the game and pull the team within one, trailing 3-2.
Burnett was 2-for-2 on the night, scoring three runs and drawing two walks.
She also threw a complete game from the circle, surrendering eight hits, six runs – three earned – and striking out five while walking two.
Aubrie Akins finished the night with a run scored and an RBI, while Layla Akins added a walk on a 1-for-2 performance.
Kennedy ended the night with a run and walk for the Lady Panthers, who will host all three rounds of the postseason tournament at Meeks Park beginning Tuesday, Sept. 24, and lasting until Friday, Sept 26, in Blairsville.
UCMS softball team wins big in Cleveland
Featured Stories, Sports, TeamFYNSports September 20, 2019
CLEVELAND, GA – A stellar all-around performance from the UCMS softball team led to a 20-6 victory over White County on Tuesday, Sept. 27, in Cleveland.
The Lady Panthers’ victory was their sixth in a row and moved their season record to 15-2.
Sierra Burnett led the way from the circle, throwing all the innings in a five-inning, mercy-rule game. She scattered six hits, two runs – one earned – and struck out six while walking just two.
Makayla Souther comes in to back up third base from her position in left field for the UCMS softball team.
From the plate, Burnett went 3-for-4 on the day with three RBIs, four runs scored, a triple, a double, a stolen base, and a walk.
Georgia Patton also had a big day at the plate. She drove in two runs and scored four runs on a 4-for-5 day, adding two doubles and a triple.
Aubrie Akins led the team with four RBIs after going 4-for-5 at the plate and scoring three runs.
Ila Bragg also had a triple and two stolen bases while going 3-for-4 and driving in three runs.
MaKayla Souther drove in two runs, going 2-for-4 with a run scored, a double, and a stolen base.
Sloan Dyer put up a 3-for-5 day with two runs scored and a stolen base.
Rounding out the multi-hit games was Addison Kennedy, who scored two runs on two hits.
Layla Akins drove in a run and scored a run, while Jewel Massey walked twice, scored a run, and stole a base.
Lady Panthers softball earns state playoff bid
Sports, TeamFYNSports September 20, 2019
BLAIRSVILLE, GA – The Lady Panthers are headed to the Class AA state playoffs.
After taking down Region 8-AA opponent Rabun County, 3-2, Tuesday, Sept. 17, in Blairsville, the Union County varsity softball team earned the No. 2 seed from the region heading into the postseason.
The Lady Panthers (10-10, 6-1) will face the No. 3 seed from Region 5-AA
Senior Megan Bright earned the win from the circle. She threw six innings, giving up four hits and two runs – one earned – while striking out three.
Rebekah Kelley steps forward into a pitch for the Union County varsity softball squad.
Union County got on the board first in the bottom of the first inning.
After a 1-2-3 inning from Bright in the circle, the combination of Mary Wischmeyer and Lexi Sisum went to work for the Lady Panthers. The combination of the two players at the plate provided the first of two big innings.
Wischmeyer started the inning with a single to left field, and she followed that by stealing second base.
Sisum stepped to the plate and slammed an 0-1 home run over the right-field wall, driving in Sisum and giving the Lady Panthers the 2-0 lead.
After back-to-back, 1-2-3 innings from Bright, Wischmeyer and Sisum went to work again in the bottom of the third.
Facing a 1-2 count with one out in the inning, Wischmeyer hit a hard groundball to the Rabun County shortstop, who fumbled the ball.
Krysten Hodges waits to swing for the Lady Panthers softball team.
The error eventually allowed Wischmeyer to end up at third base.
Sisum, with an 0-1 count, then drove a triple into centerfield, scoring Wischmeyer.
Sisum was caught at home plate trying to stretch the triple into an inside-the-park home run.
The damage was done, however, as Union County took a 3-0 lead.
The visiting Lady Wildcats managed runs in the top of the fifth and sixth frames, but it wasn’t enough as the home team Lady Panthers dug deep and preserved the win.
Trinity Queen came on to pitch the seventh inning. She got one batter to ground out and struck out two more to earn the save for Union County.
The Lady Panthers earned their second-straight trip to the state playoffs with the win.