By KEVIN ECKLEBERRY

Daily News

The LaGrange Academy Lady Warriors are two wins away from a state championship, and there’s a familiar opponent standing in the way.

LaGrange Academy and Flint River Academy, long-time rivals and programs with a winning tradition in softball, will meet on Saturday with the GISA Class A state title on the line.

The best-of-three series will be played at LaGrange Academy, and all of the games will be on Saturday.

LaGrange Academy earned its spot in the championships series with a dominant performance against Twiggs Academy in a semifinal series on Wednesday.

After winning the first game 15-0 in three innings, LaGrange Academy eased to an 8-0 victory in game two.

Since LaGrange Academy is the number one seed in the four-team state tournament, it will host the state finals.

Twiggs Academy presented little opposition in Wednesday’s first-round series.

LaGrange Academy pitchers Amber Corley and Lanie Lackey both overpowered Twiggs Academy’s lineup in throwing shutouts.

Offensively, LaGrange Academy had plenty of success as well, scoring 23 runs in eight innings.

“We were trying not to make many mistakes, and hit the ball, and we did hit it fairly well today,” said Charles Parker, LaGrange Academy’s head coach.

In game one, which ended early because of the run rule, Corley threw a three-inning perfect game.

Corley struck out the first eight batters she faced before getting the final out of the third inning on a flyout.

Natalee Waddell led the offensive effort with three hits, including two doubles, and Kayla McBride and Kelsey Cotton each had two hits.

Lanie Lackey had a hit and a walk, Corley had a hit with three runs scored, Madison Petite walked three ties, Megan Allen was on base three times, Caley Worsley walked twice, and McKenzie Jones scored two runs.

In the second game, it was Lanie Lackey’s turn to take the mound, and she got the job done as well, holding Twiggs Academy to two hits with seven strikeouts.

Cotton had two hits with a double, and McBride, Lackey and Petite each had two hits.

Corley and Jones each had a hit, Worsley and Waddell reached on walks.

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