For the second time on the young season, thunderstorms forced a Lady Tiger softball game to be cut short. On Tuesday night, August 8, the Lady Tigers hosted the Statesboro High School Lady Blue Devils in their home opener. Statesboro jumped out to an early 3-0 lead, but Swainsboro pitcher Callie Powell then shut down the Statesboro offense and the Lady Tigers chipped away at the three-run deficit by scoring single runs in the bottom of the third, fourth and fifth innings.
In the bottom of the third inning, Jocie Hendrix delivered a two-out single to score Gracie Beneteau who had reached base on a single earlier in the inning. In the bottom of the fourth inning, Cassidy Jordan singled in Berklie Bishop to cut the Blue Devil lead to just one run. Then in the bottom of the fifth inning, Hannah Howard connected on a two-out single and stole second base. Jocie Hendrix then delivered another two-out single to plate the tying run. Just moments into the sixth inning, severe thunderstorms moved in and forced a weather delay. The contest could not be resumed due to the lightening and heavy rain and the game was eventually ruled a 3-3 tie.
Just five days earlier, Swainsboro had traveled to Burke County for their season opener. The story was much the same as it was in the Statesboro game. Swainsboro fell behind early, chipped away at the deficit, and came back to score the tying run before rain and lightning forced the game to be called early.
After falling behind early by a score of 4-1, Swainsboro rallied back and went to the top of the seventh inning trailing by a score of 5-4. Kayla Crabb delivered a one-out single and moved to second base on a ground out. With two outs, Callie Powell came through with a clutch double to the left center-field gap to tie the game up at 5-5. In the bottom of the seventh inning, two Burke County batters reached base, but before the inning could be completed a severe thunderstorm moved in. After a lengthy weather delay, it was determined that there was no way the game could be resumed. The game was not a region game and since the seventh inning had not been completed, it was ruled that the score would revert back to what it was at the end of the last completed inning. So… Swainsboro’s tying run was wiped off the board and the Lady Tigers came back to Emanuel County with a heartbreaking 5-4 loss.
