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LaGrange softball cruised to a 34-0 victory over Riverdale on Tuesday. Riverdale was outmanned and outmatched as the Grangers took the game to them and earned their first region win of the season.

“I’m proud of how hard [Riverdale] tried. They didn’t have the experience or natural ability to play the game of softball, but they were positive, upbeat and gave their best effort,” LaGrange head coach Craig Mobley said. “We have to tip our caps to them.”

LaGrange took no time getting the scoring started with 16 runs in the opening frame of the game. The Granger added another five runs in the second inning and 13 in the third inning which proved to be the final frame of the contest.  

The large margin of runs gave the LaGrange coaches a chance to get some younger girls some experience. 

“It was a good game to get everybody some playing time,” Mobley said. “It was nice to get some girls that don’t regularly start some playing time. Our girls rallied around them and cheered them on.”

Some of these girls include Clary Anne Adcock (2-for-3 with three RBIs), TaNiya Taylor (2-for-3 with three runs scored and a RBI, and Akilah Hall who went 2-for-2 with four runs scored and a RBI.
The team’s no. 1 pitcher – Zoe Thompson – started the game and only pitched one inning as her services were not required down the stretch as she got some rest with LaGrange playing a game on Wednesday and Thursday. Thompson struck out the side on 11 pitches.

Carolyne Garcia came in to relieve her and went the final two innings where she also struck out three batters in the second inning but allowed a walk. She then proceeded to strike out the side in the third inning to combine to pitch a no-hitter with Thompson. Garcia also helped her cause from the plate where she went 3-for-3 with five runs scored and two RBIs.

Abby McGill also had a monster game from the plate as she was 3-for-3 with two ruins scored and five RBIs. The Grangers had big performances offensively from the entire lineup including Kimberly Reynolds, who went 2-for-2 with two runs scored and four RBIs, and McKinsey Gaddy went 2-for-2 with a run scored and four RBIs. 

Taylor Nation had three RBIs as Hudson Wood and Mikiyah Jackson each had two. Kaylee Foster, Harlee Overton, Kaimarie Turner and Tatum Nation had an RBI apiece to round out the scoring for the Grangers.  

“It wasn’t very competitive, but we still had a great day offensively,” Mobley said. 

LaGrange improved to 4-2 on the season and 1-0 in region play. The Grangers will face two time reigning AA state champions Heard County on Wednesday before getting back to their region schedule on Thursday against Troup.

“It’s game to game,” Mobley said. “We are not competing against Heard County, we are competing against ourselves.”