Heritage fights back, faces Gilmer for region supremacy

Arkansas-SEMO Live Blog

Read moreCalhoun wins 6-AAA softball tournament championship

DALTON, Ga. - Sometimes a little adversity is good for a softball team.

For Heritage, Wednesday's loss to Northwest Whitfield -- the Generals' first against a league foe all year -- put them one game from elimination. Thursday they put up 19 runs in a pair of wins, including an 8-3 payback win over Northwest, to remain alive in the Region 7-AAAA tournament at Heritage Pointe Park.

Heritage (26-7), which earlier defeated Pickens County 11-5, will play upstart Gilmer County in the championship round today at 3, with another game to follow if the Generals win.

"The most important thing tonight is we get a chance to play at least one series at home," said Heritage coach Steve Chattin, whose team will try to make it back-to-back region titles today. "I told the girls if we score 19 runs tomorrow I feel pretty good about our chances. Now we may not, but we're capable. Gilmer has a quality ballclub and the freshman pitcher throws it well and we'll have to get some big hits."

In the Region 6-AAA tournament, also at Heritage Pointe, the championship was not decided until well after press deadline. Calhoun had defeated top-seeded Ringgold 11-4 to force a deciding game that did not start until 10:10.

Calhoun (26-7) earlier beat Sonoraville 4-1 to set up the title-round matchup of the region's top teams.

As for Heritage, after pounding out 15 hits against Pickens, the Generals had 11 against the Lady Bruins. Tied at 2 entering the bottom of the fourth, Heritage erupted for six runs, including a two-run homer from Sydney Smith, an RBI double from Krissi Prewitt and a solo homer from Brooklynn Frazier.

Freshman pitcher Ashley Faulkenberry worked through some wildness to throw a complete game, scattering seven hits.

"Faulkenberry has been getting more consistent throughout the year, and she battles," Chattin said. "Tonight wasn't one of her best outings, but she got the big outs when we needed them."

Leadoff batter Olivia Tamewitz had three hits in each game and believes the Generals are ready to defend their title.

"This is a really big victory after they beat us yesterday," she said. "We knew what we had to do and we were prepared to. When we lost yesterday we left too many runners on base, and today we got the big hits when we needed them."

Calhoun, after losing three times to Ringgold this year, scored early and often in the title series first game. Senior shortstop Taylor Kelly, battling a bit of a slump coming in, had a three-run homer in the second inning and had three hits in each game.

Contact Lindsey Young at lyoung@timesfreepress.com or at 423-757-6296.

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