Heritage sweeps in AAA softball

RINGGOLD, Ga. — It was a tale of two games for the Heritage Generals, but Steve Chattin's team proved it could win more ways than one in a Class AAA first-round sweep of visiting Franklin County Wednesday night.

Heritage (27-7) won game one 3-1 as Allison Vaughn limited the Lady Lions to five hits, while in a 7-4 game two win, the Generals scored five runs in the fourth inning to turn around a 2-0 deficit. Heritage will await the winner of the Woodward Academy/Columbus series and will host a second-round series beginning next Wednesday.

"We knew even though they were a four-seed that they were a good team," Chattin said of Franklin (20-14). "We controlled their speed, which is their biggest weapon, and Vaughn pitched really well until she tired in game two."

In that game, Kristin West had a two-run single and Jesslyn Stockard a two-run double in the pivotal fifth inning. Freshman Lauren Lawson came on in relief and pitched hitless ball over the final 2 2/3 innings. She allowed two base runners, but the Generals turned double plays to wipe both off the bases.

"We played tremendous defense all night," Chattin said. "This is a good win and it should prepare us for what's ahead."

In the opener, Heritage scored single runs in the third, fifth and sixth innings to edge the Lady Lions. Allison Walker was a key in two of those runs, leading off with a single and scoring the team's first run on Wests's two-out single, then sacrificing in the sixth to move Vaughn, who had doubled to lead off the inning, to third. She would score on Amber Burton's single.

"This is a great series win for us," Walker said. "We all came together in that second game and we kept pushing and rallying."