Stephanie Ruffin’s double helped spark it. Her three-run homerun helped finish it. That is, Northside’s rally past Warner Robins Tuesday at Northside. The Lady Eagles won 11-8.
“My girls played an amazing game,” said Lady Eagles Head Coach Kylie Tierce. “They fought through the adversity and came out on top. The played with immense heart and determination and I could not be any more proud of them.
“Senior Stephanie Ruffin has done a tremendous job all year and last night she came in clutch with a huge three-run homer.
“One thing we have talked all year about is fight. We fight to the very last pitch, and my girls did so last night.”
Understatement. The girls entered the fifth inning – stranding plenty of runners along the way – down 7-0.
Casey Ruffin got things going when she reached on an infield single. Following an out, Miranda Campbell walked. Madelyn Lee hit a hard single to left but the lead runner was cut down at third by Jamaya Duhart. Stephanie Ruffin then hit a ball over Duhart’s head. That scored two and put her on second. A wild pitch got her to third where Amya Smith’s blooper to the outfield brought her in – Smith hustling to turn it into a double. It was 7-4 at that point.
Warner Robins got one back in the top of the sixth on Taylor Corley’s two-out RBI double.
Then came the bottom of the inning.
Mallory Gordy started it off with a single over the third baseman’s head. She was forced at second by Casey Ruffin’s ground ball. Nicole Morales walked. Miranda Campbell walked.
The Demonettes made a pitching change. Madelyn Lee reached on an error that also brought in a run. Morales came in on a wild pitch. That brought Ruffin to the plate with runners on second and third. After watching another pitch go in the dirt, she launched the second one over the fence to clear the bases and give the Lady Eagles a 9-8 lead. They too advantage of a couple of errors and a walk to add a couple of insurance runs to it.
Warner Robins on the other hand, got two of its runs in the first and four in the second. Jordan Thomas got the action going in the first with a hard single up the middle on the first pitch of the game. Holly Bass was hit by a pitch and Taylor Corley walked to load the bases. Zaida Carson – after a pitching change – sacrificed Thomas home on a fly ball to right. Paige Magoto’s fielder’s choice got brought in Bass.
Jamaya Duhart got on via an infield single to get Warner Robins rolling in the second. Following a strikeout, Kesleigh Henry doubled to left. That brought in Duhart. Autumn Durham replaced her as the pinch runner. Thomas sacrificed her over to third where a pass ball and a passed ball enabled her to get home.
Bass reached on an error. She scored on Corley’s fly ball misjudged.
The Demonettes added one more to their total in the fourth – their final run coming in the sixth after Northside had cut it to 7-4. Thomas reached second on an errant throw to first. Bass’ fielder’s choice got her to third where she scored on Corley’s ground ball.
Elsewhere, Veterans beat Howard on the road, 9-1. Madison Bussell pitched six innings to earn the win. She scattered six hits – the Lady Warhawks had 15 – while striking out four.
Veterans scored one in the first, two in the third, one in the fifth and then broke it open with five in the sixth. The Lady Huskies pushed their run across in the bottom of that inning.
Aleah Ostrat helped spark the club. She was 3-4 with four driven in. Katie Killebrew was 1-3 and drove in two. Jenna Thomas and Raegan Stella were both 3-5 – Thomas with an RBI and both with a run scored.
Houston County also won. It beat Coffee 8-5. Rylee Lamb pitched six strong innings to help lead it. She scattered six hits while giving up three runs. She also struck out five and walked five. Olivia Brown finished things off with an inning pitched. She gave up one hit, two runs, walked two and struck out one.
Lauren Ross was 2-3 with a walk and two driven in. Makayla Krepps was just 1-4 but also drove in two, while Alice Thomas was 3-5 with an RBI and a run scored.
