As in the past few years, the Lady Dawg softball team has scheduled larger schools from class 7A to 2A to prepare the team for region and playoffs. After losing eight seniors from the championship team, there was naturally going to be a learning curve playing as a new team. Those seniors from last season were a well-oiled machine after playing together for four years.
The young Lady Dawgs started out the season losing the first four games with the offense sputtering to put runs on the board. The offense found their mark reeling off two wins in a row against Toombs Co. 7-3 and Calvary Day 11-2. They began the season losing to Grovetown 3-2, Lakeside 4-0, Harlem 7-0 and South Effingham 12-3. The Bulldogs reeled off seven runs on six hits in the win against Toombs Co. Kinsley Grimes and Mary Durden led at the plate with two hits each. Freshman Mary Durden also stood in the pitcher’s circle for the Lady Dawgs scattering 10 with two strikeouts.
Coach Wimberly has his team tournament heavy this season, playing in four that are currently on the schedule.
After starting the season playing in the Harlem Tournament, the Lady Dawgs spent last Friday and Saturday playing in the Crisp Co. Tournament, coming away with two wins and one loss. The Lady Dawgs started out the tournament defeating 3A Calvary Day 11-2. Jayna Kearson had the hot bat with three hits with Jarei Oglesby right behind with two hits to lead the Bulldog offense. Six other Dawgs had one hit each.
Durden once against started for the Bulldogs for three innings allowing nine hits. Kayanna Thompson closed the final two innings giving up just three hits.
After losing to Perry on Saturday morning, the Lady Dawgs picked up their second win of the tournament and third of the season against Southeast Bulloch in a close one 3-2. Line score for the SEB game is not available at this time.
The Lady Dawgs are back on the road this week. Tuesday, the Varsity and JV teams had a double header against Statesboro. This weekend the Bulldogs will travel to Winder to play in the Titan Classic. They will face 4 teams in the upper classes in the tournament including 7A Bookwood, 5A Locust Grove and 3A schools Franklin Co. and Hebron Christian.
The Lady Dawg won’t be back on their home field until they face Portal on August 29, in the first region game of the season.
