SYLVANIA — After its first meeting with Screven County, Southeast Bulloch was left with a bitter taste in its mouth. Thursday evening, SEB’s Sierra Peebles fired a one-hitter as the Lady Yellow Jackets took home a 6-0 victory and a sub-region title.
    Three weeks ago, the Lady Gamecocks (9-9, 6-1 Region 3-AA) defeated SEB (14-4-2, 6-1) in a 1-0 pitcher’s duel. With the sub-region title on the line, the Jackets weren’t going to let their rivals win again.
    “This was a really big one for us,” said SEB coach Aimee Civalier. “Losing to Screven the first time around really hurt, so it was nice to be able to get them back. It’s even better in the sense that we get the No. 1 seed in the region tournament and get a spot in the state sectionals.”
    The Jackets wasted no time in taking the fight to Screven, striking for a run in the first inning when Leah McCarthy (4-for-4, 2 RBIs) knocked in Lindsey Crosby to open the scoring.
    In the second inning, Casey Hadden reached base on a grounder when Courtney Burns’ throw from third bounced away. The ball caromed down the right field line and was mishandled once more, allowing Hadden to circle the bases and make it a 2-0 Jacket lead.
    SEB tacked on another in the third inning when McCarthy rifled a Dawn Stewart offering to right field for a single that scored Breanna Gates from third base.
    “The plan was to be more aggressive this time,” said Civalier. “Dawn is a good pitcher and can keep you off balance pitching to the outside corner. We told our girls to be ready early in the count and to take a swing as soon as they saw something good.”
    The early runs were more than enough for Peebles who recorded her second consecutive one-hitter. The hard-throwing freshman bounced back nicely after taking the tough luck loss in the teams’ first meeting, striking out 11 Screven batters and not allowing a hit until Burns’ double in the sixth inning.
    “Sierra has been pitching very well lately,” said Civalier. “I think that she got a little fired up hearing how she got out-dueled against Screven last time. Everybody was pretty fired up for this one.”
    The Jackets added two more runs in the fifth inning to break the game wide open. McCarthy reached on another single and moved to second on Ciera Clark’s single. McCarthy then stole third and came in to score when Haley Mock’s throw sailed into left field. Two pitches later, Clark came in on a wild pitch to make it 5-0.
    The Gamecocks were nearly spared by Mother Nature as lightning forced the teams off the field in the bottom of the fifth. In accordance with GHSA rules, since five full innings had not been completed, the game would have had to be replayed from the beginning if the contest had been called.
    Luckily for the Jackets, the rain and lightning held off and after a 38-minute delay, SEB finished off the win.
    With the win, the Jackets await either Swainsboro or Dodge County in the region semifinals.
    Screven County will face the No. 3 seed from the other sub-division of Region 3-AA September 29. The winner will clinch a spot in the state playoffs.

    Mike Anthony can be reached at (912) 489-9404.