By Kevin Eckleberry

kevin.eckleberry@lagrangenews.com

LAGRANGE – They kept swinging away.

The Troup Lady Tigers scored two runs in the first inning to take the lead during Thursday’s Region 5-AAAA game against Cedartown, and they never looked back on the way to a 14-8 victory.

It was a big win for Troup, which improved to 3-1 in the region while bouncing back from Tuesday’s tough 6-5 home loss to LaGrange.

“It’s a huge win,” said Maddie Weathers, Troup’s senior catcher. “We’ve been struggling lately, and I think this was our way of bouncing back.”

Troup scored at least one run in all but one inning, which was important since Cedartown wasn’t having much trouble scoring runs either.

“We just kept adding to it,” Troup head coach Mason Brackett said. “We had to battle through some miscues, which we’re going to have. We’re going to have to outscore some teams.”

Troup was up 9-7 when it scored four critical insurance runs in the sixth inning.

With the bases loaded, Christina Garcia reached on a bunt single to drive in a run, and Weathers and Madison McCartney had back-to-back two-run hits later in the inning to push the lead to 14-7.

Weathers finished with three hits for Troup, and she continued to hold down the catcher position as she has throughout the season.

Weathers has been the starting catcher for every game this season.

McCartney had a hit with two RBIs, Kayla Lane, Hadleigh Livingston, Abby Taylor, Makenzie Miller, Olivia McInvale and Emilee Johnson each had a hit with two runs scored.

Taylor pitched the seven-inning complete game.

Troup will visit Central-Carroll on Tuesday for a key region game.

Central-Carroll won the region title on the way to the state championship last year.