The slow-pitch softball season will end with the state championships Wednesday and Thursday, April 17-18 at Twin Creeks Softball Complex in Woodstock as eight teams are left in the tournament, trying for a title.
Like last year, the bracket for the slow-pitch softball state championship is double elimination, giving teams the opportunity to win the championship even if they lose a game in the tournament. All first and second round matchups will be played on Wednesday, April 17 with the rest of the tournament being played on Thursday, April 18 before a champion is crowned.
LONG-STANDING HISTORY
Since 1981, slow-pitch softball has been a GHSA-sanctioned sport that has gone through changes in its over 40-year history.
The sport used Classes A-4A until 1998 when it was expanded to Class A, Class 2A, Class 3A/4A and Class 5A. In 2001, it then changed to Class A, Class 2A/3A and Class 4A/5A. A year later, the sport switched its classes once again, combining Classes A/2A/3A and Classes 4A/5A. In 2004, slow-pitch softball became an open event. The sport was discontinued in 2009 but came back in 2017 with Haralson County winning back-to-back state championships from 2017-2018.
LET’S PLAY BALL
West Laurens is coming off its second slow-pitch softball state championship as the Raiders are looking to become back-to-back champions for the first time since Haralson County six years ago. The Raiders are trying for the program’s third title in program history, with the first coming back in 2000.
This season, the team finished undefeated in the sectional bracket and won the bracket by winning a combined 45-1 over three games on Tuesday. West Laurens will face Cherokee in the first round of the championship bracket where the Warriors will have their hands full with a Raiders team that is averaging 15 runs a game so far in the postseason.
Jefferson and Richmond Hill will face off in the first round and the winner will face the victor of West Laurens vs. Cherokee. The Dragons were catapulted to the championship bracket after hitting a combined eight home runs against Cherokee and River Ridge.
“If our hitters can keep on hitting and our defense keeps playing well, we expect to make a great run at the championship,” said Jefferson slow-pitch softball head coach Allan Bailey. “Our team has used this time together to improve our skills and create more positive team chemistry.”
Jefferson’s opponent, Richmond Hill, went 8-2 in the regular season (8-0 in area) and 3-1 in the sectionals. The Wildcats’ Lily Welch has pitched in every game for Richmond Hill, including the postseason though she is usually behind the plate as a catcher.
Franklin County will take on River Ridge in the first round of the tournament after an 8-0 regular season before the Lions went 3-0 in sectionals, going 11-0 overall. Franklin County has scored 32 runs in its last three games while holding opponents to three runs over the three-game span.
Creekview and Elbert County will play in the first round of the championship bracket with the winner facing either Franklin County or River Ridge. Creekview is 10-2 on the season, winning both sectional games, and will face an Elbert County team that went 3-1 in sectionals and scored 20-plus runs in two of its last four matchups. The Blue Devils played just four regular season games and went 2-2 but are heating up in time for the first round of this year’s state championship.
About the Author
