Going into the region championship, Starr’s Mill had faced Whitewater twice in the regular season and lost twice.  A 6-2 win in game 2 of the championship series provided hope for an unlikely upset, but the Lady Panthers offense just could not keep pace with a Lady Wildcats team that averaged nearly ten runs per game throughout the season.

“We played well. We just couldn’t get a couple of clutch hits we needed,” head coach Mark Williamson said. “We had one or two defensive plays we could’ve made but couldn’t pull through.”

In the first game, Whitewater proved why they were number one in the region with strong pitching leading a strong defense. Both teams were scoreless at the end of the first inning.  However, in the second inning, the Lady Wildcats scored their first run when pitcher senior Carly Grove scored off of a long hit to midfield.

Whitewater added to its lead in the second when sophomore Bailey Vessell hit a single with the bases loaded. Senior Ruth Jones scored the third and final run off of a missed throw by the Mill.

The Lady Panthers’ batting was no match for Whitewater’s pitching with nine outs coming from strike outs. The majority of the other outs came from not being able to out-run the ball making it to first base.

Sophomore Wakana Sato faced 28 batters in six innings, only allowing one hit, but surrendering allowed three runs.  The game ended in 3-0 loss for the Lady Panthers, and put them in a must-win situation in order to keep hope alive for a region championship.

“We made some adjustments at the plate,” Williamson said. “We’ve been asking them to do some things from the start and most of them bought into it in that second game.”

The second game showcased more of what the Mill batters are capable of. The Lady Wildcats started the game off strong scoring their first run in the first inning. The Mill battled back in the bottom of the first. Sophomore Kate Ashmore hit a two-run home run after a single from sophomore Lea Duben.  

The game slowed for the next three innings. Whitewater tied in the game after two outs in the top of the fifth, but could not take the lead.  The tie didn’t last for long.

The fifth inning was strong for the Lady Panthers as well, with three runs scores. Ashmore scored the third run, and the fourth was scored shortly after. At the end of the fifth inning, sophomore Laura Sellers scored the fifth run.

With a hit into the outfield in the bottom of the sixth, junior Jordan Childress sealed the Mill’s 6-2 victory. Freshman pitcher Paige Andrews faced 34 batters in seven innings, allowing two runs and six hits. The win marked the team’s first against Whitewater this season.

The win also sent the region championship into a decisive game three played on Oct. 5.   

“Their pitcher is pretty special,” Williamson said. “I think they have a chance to do real well in the state finals. I think they have a chance to do very well, we just haven’t been able to string together a lot of hits.”

The possibility of Starr’s Mill upsetting the No. 1 seed Lady Wildcats existed going into the third and final game of the series.  However, the words of Williamson rang true as the Lady Panthers could not get anything started on offense.  Whitewater easily won the last game 11-0, earning them the region championship and proving why they deserve the top seed from region 3-AAAAA heading into the state playoffs.

Starr’s Mill finished the season as region runner-ups and will host Veterans High School from Kathleen, Ga. in round 1 of the Georgia High School Association state playoffs.  The Lady Warhawks (11-13, 5-3) enter the postseason as the No. 3 seed from Region 1.  Game 1 begins at 5 p.m. on Oct. 12. with game 2 to follow.  Game 3, if necessary, will be begin at 5:30 p.m. on Oct. 13.

Related Stories

From the Panther Pit - Season 2, Episode 2

Coach's Corner - Sept. 30, 2016

Rising stars step up to plate, shutout McIntosh