Dunwoody catcher Walker Wicklund comes up ready to throw against River Ridge. (Photo by Mark Brock)
The No.7 ranked Dunwoody Wildcats could not solve River Ridge pitcher Savannah Flaherty once again on Thursday at Dunwoody in a 7-0 loss to fall in the Class 5A first round playoff best-of-three series.
Flaherty struck out 12 in River Ridge’s Game 1 3-1 victory and allowed just one hit, a single by Allie Puckett, which came in the top of the seventh to end her no-hit bid.
It was more of the same on Thursday as Flaherty struck out nine Lady Wildcats and allowed just three hits, three walks and two hit batsmen in going all seven innings.
Dunwoody starting pitcher Robin Tallon worked out of a first inning jam with a bases-loaded strikeout to end the threat, but could not work her way out of a second and third, two-out jam in the second as Shelby Suggs gave the Lady Knights a 2-0 lead with a two-run double into center.
Flaherty got into some trouble of her own in the bottom of the second after an error had Dunwoody runners moving around the bases. A throw to third got the lead runner in a close play at the bag for the first out and Flaherty then got a strikeout and infield fly to end Dunwoody’s scoring threat.
The lead extended to 4-0 in the top of the fourth as Sarah Baker delivered a big two-out, two-run single off Samantha Moss who had entered the game in relief. Moss had given up a single with one out and before striking out Suggs who had delivered the big hit in the second inning.
A pair of Dunwoody errors and RBI hits by Beth McCulley (double) and Suggs (single) pushed the lead out to 7-0 in the top of the sixth.
The Lady Wildcats tried to answer in the bottom of the sixth with hits by Savannah Hurley and Moss before Flaherty got a strikeout to end the threat once again.
Flaherty picked up two more strikeouts in the seventh to close out the game.
DEKALB CO. STATE SOFTBALL PLAYOFFS
Wednesday, Oct. 14
CLASS 5A
At Dunwoody
River Ridge (21-10) 3, Dunwoody (22-5) 1
Dunwoody (23-5) 2, River Ridge (21-11) 0
Best of three series tied 1-1
Thursday, Oct. 15
CLASS 5A
River Ridge (21-10) 7, Dunwoody (23-6) 0
River Ridge wins best of three series 2-1