The Chamblee Lady Bulldogs ended a 0-16 streak in the state playoffs with a two-game sweep of their Class 5A state fast pitch playoffs best-of-three series against Lithia Springs on Wednesday at Chamblee.

Chamblee (22-5-1) also equaled their season best win total at 22 with its 4-1, 12-7 sweep to advance to the Sweet 16 for the first time since the best-of-three series was implemented in 2009 to replace the sectionals format.

A 4-1 victory in the opener gave Chamblee its first state playoff win behind the pitching of Erin Glimmesey and hitting of Mary Axelson.

Glimmesey pitched five shutout innings to start the game and Axelson was 2-3 with two RBI at the plate.

The game went scoreless to the bottom of the fourth inning as Glimmesey and Lithia Springs’ Reagan Hooto were in a pitching duel as the two combined to not allow a runner past second.

Chamblee’s Grace Brown led off the bottom of the fourth reaching base after getting hit with a pitch. She then stole second and Hooto looked to leave her stranded at that point as she set down the next two Lady Bulldogs’ batters.

Axelson came to the plate in the big two-out situation and delivered the go-ahead RBI single to score Brown for a 1-0 Chamblee lead. Bekka Loftus followed with a RBI double to plate Axelson and Grace Fazzone made it 3-0 for Chamblee with her RBI single to score Loftus.

Lithia Springs broke through on Glimmesey in the top of the sixth on a sacrifice fly by Daisa Purnell to score Anayah Baker who had singled to open the inning.

Glimmesey worked out of a two-out, bases-loaded jam by coaxing an infield fly to end the inning with Chamblee holding the 3-1 lead.

Rachel Lovejoy led off the bottom of the sixth for Chamblee with a double and Anna Burke laid down a sacrifice bunt to mover her to third. Axelson followed with her second RBI single of the game giving the Lady Bulldogs a huge insurance run and a 4-1 lead heading into the top of the seventh.

Glimmesey set Lithia Springs down in order in the final inning to close out the 4-1 victory.

Chamblee took the momentum into the second game scoring six runs in the opening frame. Ansley Mephan, Rachel Lovejoy and Grace Fazzone all drove in runs in the inning as Lithia Springs committed two errors.

Lithia Springs picked up a run in the bottom of the first on a RBI double by Anayah Baker to make it a 6-1 game.

The Lady Bulldogs answered right back with a two-out RBI double by Lovejoy to make it 7-1 heading to the bottom half of the second inning.

Lithia Springs closed the gap to 7-3 keyed by an Audrey Ward RBI double.

Pitcher Carlin Waddell aided her own cause in the top of third as her two-run double to score Brooke George and McKenzie Folsom keyed a three-run inning for Chamblee to push the lead back out to 10-3.

Lithia Springs brought in reliever Skylar Ryan in the fourth inning and she shut down the Chamblee bats for two innings as Lithia Springs closed the gap to 10-7 with a four-run fifth inning. Bryanna Moore had a RBI single and Baker struck again with a two-run triple to cut the Lady Bulldogs’ lead to three.

Waddell worked out of the inning setting down the next three batters on two come-backers to the mound and a strikeout to prevent further damage…

Chamblee picked up two key insurance runs in the sixth as they broke through against Ryan. Waddell lead of the inning with a walk and scored on a Lithia Springs error and Axelson picked up her third RBI in the series with a double.

Chamblee (22-5-1) moves on with a road trip to Carrollton (26-2) next Wednesday for a Sweet 16 battle.

Arabia Mountain 13, 13, Riverwood 1, 0
The Arabia Mountain Lady Rams moved on to the Class 5A Sweet 16 via a 13-1, 13-0 two-game sweep of Riverwood at home on Wednesday.

Arabia Mountain (23-4) set a new program wins record breaking last season’s 21 while moving on to the Sweet 16 for the second consecutive season.

The Rams will host Loganville (23-8) in a best-of-three series doubleheader next Wednesday.

Miller Grove 7, 6; North Springs 6, 0
The Miller Grove Lady Wolverines captured the program’s first playoff series victory with a 2-0 road sweep of North Springs on Wednesday.

Miller Grove won a 7-6 thriller in the opener and came back for a 6-0 shutout in the second game to get the sweep. The lady Wolverines had forced third games in 2013 and 2014, but failed to pick up a decisive win in the third game of their series both seasons.

The Sweet 16 round has Miller Grove (16-6) traveling to No. 1 ranked Buford (23-4) for the best-of-three series opening doubleheader on Wednesday, October 18.

In the final Class 5A matchup for DeKalb, Southwest DeKalb came up short against host Decatur (21-8). The Lady Panthers (11-8) dropped close 6-4 and 6-5 decision to the Lady Bulldogs.

In other playoff action for DeKalb, Druid Hills fell 14-4 and 9-0 to Thomson in Class 4A play while Cedar Grove took a tough 19-0, 16-0 decision to Calhoun (22-8).

Stephenson (15-6-1) hosts Heritage (15-12) on Friday at 3:00 pm and Dunwoody (20-5) travels to Apalachee at 12:00 pm in Class 6A state playoff action.

2017 DCSD SOFTBALL STATE PLAYOFFS RESULTS
FIRST ROUND (BEST OF THREE SERIES)
Wednesday, Oct. 11
CLASS 5A
Arabia Mountain (23-4) 13, Riverwood (10-18) 1
Arabia Mountain (23-4) 13, Riverwood (10-18) 0
Arabia Mountains wins series 2-0

Chamblee (22-5-1) 4, Lithia Springs (19-11-1) 1
Chamblee (22-5-1) 12, Lithia Springs (19-11-1) 7
Chamblee wins series 2-0

Decatur (21-8) 6, SW DeKalb (11-8) 4
Decatur (21-8) 6, SW DeKalb (11-8) 5
Decatur wins series 2-0

Miller Grove (16-6) 7, North Springs (10-15) 6
Miller Grove (16-6) 6, North Springs (10-15) 0
Miller Grove wins series 2-0

CLASS 4A
Thomson (19-7) 14, Druid Hills (8-13) 4
Thomson (19-7) 9, Druid Hills (8-13) 0
Thomson wins series 2-0

CLASS 3A
Calhoun (22-8) 19, Cedar Grove (8-18) 0
Calhoun (22-8) 16, Cedar Grove (8-18) 0
Calhoun wins series 2-0

2017 DCSD SOFTBALL STATE PLAYOFFS SCHEDULE

FIRST ROUND (BEST OF THREE SERIES)
Friday, Oct. 13
CLASS 6A
Heritage (15-12) at Stephenson (15-6-1), 3:00 pm (DH)
Dunwoody (20-5) at Apalachee (14-11), 12:00 pm (DH)

FIRST ROUND (BEST OF THREE SERIES)
Saturday, Oct. 14 (Third game, if necessary)
CLASS 6A
Heritage (15-12) at Stephenson (15-6-1), 12:00 pm
Dunwoody (20-5) at Apalachee (14-11), 12:00 pm

SECOND ROUND (BEST OF THREE SERIES)
Wednesday, Oct. 18
Class 5A
Loganville (23-8) at Arabia Mountain (23-4), TBA, (DH)
Chamblee (22-5-1) at Carrollton (26-2), TBA, (DH)
Miller Grove (16-6) at Buford (23-4), TBA, (DH)

SECOND ROUND (BEST OF THREE SERIES)
Wednesday, Oct. 19 (Third game, if necessary)
Class 5A
Loganville (23-8) at Arabia Mountain (23-4), TBA
Chamblee (22-5-1) at Carrollton (26-2), TBA
Miller Grove (16-6) at Buford (23-4), TBA

Admission – (DH) $7.00; If Necessary, single game $5.00