July 22, 2024
By Bradynn Belcher
CUMMING, Ga. – On championship Sunday, both the Atlanta Vipers 08- Vaughn and the Georgia Impact 07- DeMeester entered the day with everything on the line in the semi-final matchup at the Triple Crown 18u Southeast Nationals. Due to inclement weather earlier in the week, the tournament format was modified to single elimination. In a win or go home situation, there was no room for any mistakes at Sharon Springs Park.
As if the unanticipated pressure was not challenging enough, the Georgia Impact faced even greater odds. During pool play earlier in the week, the Vipers defeated the Impact, prevailing by one run.
With their backs up against the wall, the Georgia Impact decided that this will not be their final game, and the comeback will be greater than the setback.
The Red team rose to the occasion. The Impact defeated the Vipers 6-3 to advance to the championship.
The Vipers barely had time to run out to their positions before the Impact began putting up runs. As the away team, the first two batters collected base hits to get runners on second and third with Kate Harris up to bat. Taking a deep breath, the right fielder picked a pitch on the inside corner of the plate and drove it to the left-center gap, scoring two runs in the process.
Harris never doubted in her ability to perform for her team early in the game.
“I went up there ready to score those two runs, and I was really excited when I got a pitch that I knew I would be able to do that,” Harris said. “I have been really confident in the box this weekend, and it was cool to help us get some momentum at the start of the game.”
The dugout erupted as Kellie Nolin and Ali Turner crossed home plate. Hearing her teammates’ cheers, Lizzie Lockhart was not going to let her team lose their excitement.
On the next pitch served by the Vipers’ starting pitcher, Lockhart pounded a ball to the fence. Had the field not been 225 feet, fans are convinced that Lockhart would have only had to trot around the bases instead of breaking into an all-out sprint to secure a stand-up double. Nevertheless, Lockhart’s hit simultaneously tore the seams off the ball and scored Harris, ultimately ending the top of the first inning with three runs on the board for the Georgia Impact.
Despite a valiant effort by the Impact defense, the Vipers were able to chip away at their deficit, putting one run on the score board next to their name.
To combat the Impact offense, the Vipers made a timely pitching change, selecting Ryleigh Hilsman as their weapon in the circle. At this point in the contest, it was difficult to stop the groove that this team was in. In the top of the second inning, the Impact collected five hits and added two more runs to their name, making the score 5-1. Leadoff hitter Nolin collected her second hit of the game in the second inning and added an RBI to her stat sheet.
The Vipers threatened to make a comeback in the bottom half of the inning, but they were unsuccessful at quelling the Georgia team. After a base hit, a mental error and a walk, the Vipers loaded the bases, putting pressure on the Impact for the first time in the contest. Hilsman, a double threat, took a pitch down the left field line to score two of her teammates. However, that would be the last time a Viper slithered across the plate.
The Impact scrappily scored once more in the top half of the third inning thanks to two perfectly placed hits and a sacrifice fly. In a 6-3 ball game, the scoring remained stagnant through the end of the elimination contest.
The Impact collected 10 hits over six innings of work. Impact pitching pair Lexi Grizzle and Lily Holton only allowed a collective seven hits from the Vipers.
Lockhart said that her team looked like a totally different ball club compared to their performance on Friday, and she has the impromptu day off due to weather to thank for that.
“We started off the tournament with two loses, so it was pretty rocky,” Lockhart said. “We did not feel like we were really here. The day off not only mentally prepared us but physically our bodies needed a day off too. I think it helped our team out a lot.”
Head coach Scott Demeester was initially hesitant when he heard that his squad would lose a day of competition at the Southeast Nationals as it is difficult to keep one’s eyes on the prize when there is a hiatus from competition. However, Demeester says that his team’s resiliency was the reason they were able to accomplish this feat.
“We knew this was going to be a really difficult game because that Atlanta Vipers team is really good,” Demeester said. “We knew we had to click in all facets of the game, and we knew that we would have to set the tone early in the first inning. We definitely avenged our loss in pool play."
