The Bulloch Academy Lady Gators pulled a ‘Jekyll and Hyde’ in their two-game series with the Westfield School.
    Four days ago, Bulloch Academy pounded pitcher Sydney Barker for 19 hits and scored 19 runs.
    On Tuesday, the Lady Gators got just six hits and two runs.
    “Westfield was the state runner-up last year and they only graduated a few players,” said BA head coach Chandler Dennard. “They have a veteran squad and I knew that they would bounce back after Saturday’s game. Sydney is a very good pitcher and I knew she would recover her form as well.”
    Still, the Lady Gators (7-6) had their chances in the tight 4-2 loss.
    “We made a couple of base running mistakes,” said Dennard. “There were a couple of hard-hit balls that didn’t fall. In the bottom of the seventh, if that shot by Kristin (Kingery) would have gotten by the third baseman, it would have been a whole different inning.”
    Down 4-2, Kingery led off with a heat-seeking missile that was pointed right at Westfield third baseman Brooke Knowles. Knowles instinctively threw her glove up and made the catch for the out. Danielle Atkinson beat out a bunt but was later doubled off to end the inning when Westfield second baseman Grayce Bearden caught an Ashley Burke line drive and then flipped the ball back to first.
    Westfield (15-7) took a 3-0 lead in the third on three hits and a Lady Gator error.
    With two outs, BA starter Madelyn Vickey walked Hannah Kate Jones. Callie Hammerle singled to left, sending Jones to second. Hannah Livingston blooped a single to short right field and the speedy Jones flew home. Laura Johnson waited out a walk to load the bases. Barker ripped a single to left, scoring Hammerle. Livingston came home when the ball kicked off Page Spence’s glove.
    Bulloch got one run back in the fifth.
    Kingery singled to short center and stole second. Atkinson’s sacrifice bunt moved the junior to third. Lady Hornet catcher Hammerle tried to pick Kingery off at bag but the throw bounced into left field, allowing the Lady Gator to jump up and run.
    Another run in the sixth cut the score to 3-2.
    With two outs, Kaleigh Sisolak singled to center. Ashlee Lanier pounded a line shot to the gap in right center. The hard-hit ball almost ripped the glove from the hand of WF right fielder Hannah Edwards. Courtesy runner JoBeth Hendrix raced around the bases to score.
    In the seventh, the Lady Hornets added an insurance run. With two outs, Jones drew a walk from BA reliever Ansley Daughtry. She went to second when Hammerle reached on a bunt single and scored on a Livingston blast to center field.
    Bulloch Academy travels to Stillmore Thursday to battle region foe Pinewood Christian Academy.
    “It’s a big game,” said Dennard. “It will decide the number two and three seeds for the tournament. If we win, we’ll be at home for the first round of the playoffs (as the second seeded team from the region). If we get beat, we will be headed to Albany. Like I told the girls after the today’s game, our playoffs start Thursday.”