WOODWARD — The Woodward-Granger softballers countered four runs from visiting AC/GC with four tallies of their own in their first at-bat to reset Wednesday’s first round playoff battle.
The host Hawks (6-13) plated a run in the second and three more in the fourth to open an 8-4 lead. The Chargers (4-9) scored twice in the sixth and once in the seventh, with a W-G run in the sixth helping create the final 9-7 score.
The win moved W-G into a Friday contest at Mt. Ayr against either the sixth-ranked hosts or Nodaway Valley. The game will start at 7 p.m.
Rian Jamison allowed seven runs (six earned) on seven hits in seven innings while collecting the win. She walked three batters and struck out one.
Emma Anderson led the W-G offense with three runs and three RBIs after hitting a triple and two singles. Audrey Simmons had two singles, a double and three RBIs, with Katelyn Bandstra adding a base hit, a RBI and two runs.
Chloe Houge walked once, reached on an error, stole three bases and scored twice, with Georgia Simmons adding a hit, run and RBI. Cela Hill also scored for the Hawks.
Sierra O’Brien pitched four frames for AC/GC, yielding eight runs (four earned) on five hits and three walks. She fanned two. Sophia Rouse struck out one and allowed a run on three hits in her two innings of relief.
O’Brien hit a two-run home run in the sixth and Madison Kelsey added a solo home run with two outs in the seventh to a single she had hit earlier, with Jorja Hoover providing two hits and walking twice for the Chargers.
