The Statesboro Blue Devil softball team may have looked a little rusty in their home opener with Richmond Hill, but they were able to come through when they needed to. A two-run homer by Bailee Roberts in the fifth helped propel the Blue Devils to a 5-3 victory over the visiting Wildcats Tuesday at Mill Creek Park.
“We pitched the ball pretty well all game,”said Statesboro coach Jim Simmons. “We were a little shaky on defense. Offensively we weren’t as sharp as we were the other day, but we did enough to pull off the victory.”
The Wildcats were able to open up a 3-0 lead over the Devils thanks to a few defensive miscues by Statesboro. Lucy Tuttle led things off with a drive to left that was misplayed, allowing Tuttle to come all the way in to score for a 1-0 lead.
The Wildcats added another unearned run in the second, and yet another in the third as a passed ball made it 3-0. The Blue Devils had their chances in the first and second innings, but left two runners on in both innings and trailed 3-0 entering the fourth inning.
In the fourth the Blue Devils managed to scratch through for their first run of the game. A fielder's choice put pitcher Kinlee Carter on first. Carter was pulled for pinch runner Terrika Gibson, who promptly stole second, and then came all the way in to score, as the throw to second ended up in the outfield, cutting the lead to 3-1.
In the fifth the Blue Devils finally strung together a few hits. Avery Wiggins led off with a single to center, and then Bailee Roberts lifted a fly ball to center, that just continued to carry. The ball cleared the center fielder, the left fielder and, finally, the fence as the Blue Devils tied the game at 3-3.
“We got the right people up at the right time, “Simmons said. “Bailee was able to get the ball out of the park, and we manufacted a couple more runs. Kinlee pitched pretty well, and then we brought Brinson Anne Rogers in, and she was able to shut them out.”
The Blue Devils went on to take a 4-3 lead on a sacrifice fly to right by catcher Lexi Tanner, and then added a fifth and final run on as a Wildcat error at third allowed Carter to score from third, for the final score of 5-3.
“We didn’t play quite as consistently, as I would have liked to see,” Simmons said. “We were able to pull off the win, and hopefully this weekend we can move some things around a little, and get some things worked out before we start region play.”
Up next for the Blue Devils comes the Tattnall County Warrior Blast. The Statesboro varsity squad plays Islands Friday night at 6 p.m. before taking on Vidalia at 8 p.m.
Other area teams participating in the tournament include Portal, Southeast Bulloch and Bulloch Academy. Portal plays Friday at 6 p.m. against Liberty County, and then Saturday at 10 a.m. against Toombs County before finishing at noon against Bradwell. Southeast Bulloch plays Friday against Appling County at 6 p.m. and against South Effingham at 8 p.m. Bulloch Academy plays Saturday at 10 a.m. against Tattnall County, at 2 p.m. against Jeff Davis, and at 4 p.m. against Islands.
