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Lady Lions come roaring back
Trinity headed back to state title game
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Trinity Christian pitcher Megan Page, front, Gracie Quattlebaum, center, and Whitney Eubanks, rear, will travel to Conyers, Ga., Friday to face Appling Christian in the GCAA Class A state championship softball game. - photo by Special
    With a hint of confession, Trinity Christian’s Megan Page conceded the fact that the Lady Lions softball team may have been a bit “cocky” going into the 2007 season. After all, Trinity had compiled a 14-3 record and had cruised to the school’s first ever state championship in the Georgia Christian Athletic Association in 2006. Why would 2007 be any different?
    “I think we definitely were a little bit cocky when the season started out,” said the senior pitcher during Tuesday’s workout. “But now I think we’ve turned that into confidence and we’re playing the best softball we can play.”
    Playing the best softball Trinity can play may be bad news for emerging rival Appling Christian, as the two schools meet in the Class A state championship on Friday in Conyers, Ga., beginning at 1 p.m.
    Appling and Trinity have played three times this season with AC winning twice. Trinity’s coaches believe whoever makes the first mistake will likely go home as runner-up.
    “We expect certain girls to perform and the regular ‘hero’s’ to step-up,” said assistant coach Paul O’Brien. “It’ll come down to the unexpected player who makes the big play, and the team that makes that first mistake.”
    Appling bested TCS for the region championship by defeating the Lions 7-5 and 9-8 during the regulare season. Trinity left the tying runs on base in both losses.
    “We have to contain the top four of their line up,” said head coach Keith Kibler. “I think we have a more balanced line up then they do, so if we can get to the bottom of their order we’ll have a good shot.”
    As for Appling, head coach Brian Brazzell believes the best two-out-of-three series could really go either way.
    “It’s been a lot of hard work with a lot of hard effort,” said Brazzell. “We’ve got a lot of heart, but both teams are really good. It really could go either way. Our girls are pretty pumped — it’s the farthest they’ve been in six or seven years.”
    The championship will consist of a doubleheader Friday. If the two team’s split they’ll play again Saturday at 11 a.m.
    “We didn’t get there the way we planned,” said Kibler, as the Lions have played all their playoff games on the road. “But we’ve been there before, so hopefully that will put us over the top. We’re 7-0 in the playoffs in two years. Our slogan has become, ‘We want it more!’.”
    Page (10-2, 2.49 ERA) will get the start for TC in Game One while Lauren Kibler (0-3, 2.67 ERA) will likely pitch Game Two. Kibler leads the offense, hitting .529 with 29 RBI and three home runs. Savannah Spranger is hitting .458 with 18 RBI and 24 stolen bases while Annabeth Havner is at an even .500, driving in 16.

    Chad Bishop can be reached at (912) 489-9408.