L-R: RTCA Seniors Ellie Graham, Marli McCranie, Morgan Newsome, and Madison Williams and Freshman Meredith Durden (center.)
Game 1 Brairwood 3 RTCA 2
The Lady Crusader finished the regular season with a 12-5 record and a #5 seed heading into the playoffs. The Lady Crusaders traveled to Briarwood on Monday for a double header. In game one Meredith Durden was sensational in the circle Surrendering only 3 hits and striking out 8. The Lady Crusaders took the lead in the 4th when Ellie Graham singled to open the frame, Charlee Ely's sac bunt and Graham's heads up baserunning moved her over to third, following an infield pop up Meredith Durden Singled in Graham on a 2 strike pitch. Briarwood answered in the bottom of the 5th when 2 errors led to 2 runs. Coming down to their final at bat the Crusaders were able to load the bases and plate the tying run thanks to a key infield single by Marli McCrannie but left them loaded on double play and headed to the bottom half tied 2-2. Briarwood was able to score on a wild pitch and a walk off single to win game 1, 3-2.
Graham led the Crusaders with 3 hits while Meredith Durden and Marli Mcrannie each had rbi singles.
Game 2 Briarwood 7 RTCA 1
Briarwood used a lead off single a 2 run homerun and a miss played flyball to score 4 in the first inning and looked as if the would go on to coast to a win, but Jr Charlee Ely settled in and pitched great the rest of the way striking out 7. Briarwood ace Chloe Poss held the Crusaders to only 3 hits while striking out 12. The Lone offensive highlight came from a Railee Thomas bomb in the top of the 7th inning.
Coach Fitzgerald after the games " Came up here last year and lost big twice, only played 6 total innings, we've been talking about growth all year and today was yet another example of how far we have come from last season. Merdith was great today, when the momentum swung in the 5th nobody panicked, we fought back to tie it up and fell just short of picking up the win. In game 2 their girl was pretty dominant striking out 12, as good a pitcher as I have seen anywhere. We just had that one inning where they struck it well and fell behind early, after that Charlee pitched great. Nobody quit and we forced them to finish the game. Super proud of how the girls earned their way here, played and represented Robert Toombs today. Got 4 senior girls who have poured a lot of time and effort into helping us have the season we had and we are certainly going to miss the impact they have here on and off the field".(Courtesy of RTCA)
