No. 30 seed Maynard Jackson High had little answer for the No. 3 seed Lady Jackets, who opened the Georgia High School Association state playoffs with back-to-back three-inning victories, 15-0 and 17-0, on Wednesday at Barbara Struckhoff Field.
The Lady Jackets (27-4) will host Villa Rica High (19-12) in the next round after the Wildcats swept Whitewater High, winning 16-1 and 6-1. Villa Rica finished second in Region 7 behind Cartersville High (No. 2 seed) and entered the state tournament as the No. 19 seed.
Game 1
The Lady Jackets wasted little time setting the tone in the opening game, scoring 15 runs in the first inning behind a home run, a triple, four doubles, two singles, eight walks and two errors.
Ada Sluder was dominant in the circle, striking out all nine batters she faced.
In the game, the Lady Jackets collected nine hits and drew 10 walks. Walling and Sluder recorded two hits apiece, while Kallie Scott, Ellie Harrison, Eda Anderson, Addison Thompson and Jaelyn Hall added one each.
The team also put pressure on the defense with an aggressive running game, stealing 15 bases.
Game 2
The Lady Jackets continued their offensive surge in the second game, scoring 16 runs in the first inning and one in the second to cruise to a 17-0 victory over Maynard Jackson.
Morgan Boatright matched Sluder's dominance in the circle, striking out eight of the nine batters she faced over three innings. She allowed no hits or walks.
At the plate, the Lady Jackets capitalized on a triple, three doubles, a single, eight walks, two hit batters and three Jaguar errors to fuel their first-inning outburst. Harrison added the final run in the second inning with a solo home run.
The Lady Jackets again showcased their speed on the bases, finishing with nine stolen bases to complete the two-game sweep.