Arabia Mountain catcher Aubri Gray (left) and third baseman Kimbrianna Peek lead their team into the Class 5A state playoffs. (Photo by Arielle Hayes)
The GHSA state fastpitch playoffs begin today around the state with seven DeKalb County teams qualified for the postseason.
Three of the seven teams are hosting first round games including Class 5A Arabia Mountain and Chamblee today and Class 6A Martin Luther King Jr. tomorrow (Wednesday).
Arabia Mountain (16-11) went on a seven-game win streak in Region 5-5A to capture the No. 1 seed. The Lady Rams play host Kell (13-17) in a doubleheader today in their best-of-three series beginning at 2:00 pm. Kell won three games in its Region 7-5A Tournament to move into the No. 4 seed.
Myia Lewis leads the Lady Rams at the plate hitting .590 with 9 homeruns, 10 triples and four doubles. She is tops on the team with 42 RBI. Michaela Evans is sitting at .456 with 5 homers and 28 RBI while going 9-5 on the mound with 63 strikeouts in 84 innings.
Another DeKalb Region 5-5 team is also playing at home today as the No. 2 seed Chamblee Lady Bulldogs (21-6) host Region 7 No. 3 seed Woodland-Cartersville (19-10) in a 2:00 pm doubleheader. The Lady Bulldogs had the No. 1 seed in the region tournament, but fell 10-1 in the finals to Arabia Mountain.
Chamblee’s Ansley Mepham looks to swing her team past Woodland-Cartersville in the first round of the Class 5A state playoffs. (Photo by Mark Brock)
Ansley Mepham has 32 RBI with 3 homers and 8 doubles to go with her .420 batting average for Chamblee. Mary Axelson is hitting .541 with 30 RBI and 9 doubles to give the Lady Bulldogs a solid middle of the order.
In other Class 5A state tournament play today, Southwest DeKalb (16-7) heads to East Paulding (16-11) for a 5:00 pm doubleheader and Miller Grove (15-10) travels to Carrollton (24-2) for a 5:00 pm doubleheader.
The third team to host in the first round in DeKalb is the Martin Luther King Jr. Lady Lions (10-4) who picked up the No. 2 seed in the Region 4-6A Tournament and host Brunswick (8-12) on Wednesday in a doubleheader beginning at 2:00 pm. Breona Wyche (.409) and pitcher Ta’Niya Fletcher (5-3, 2.23 ERA) lead the Lady Lions into the state playoffs for the second consecutive season.
Dunwoody sophomore Jaida McCord has her eyes set on a playoff win at Alexander. (Photo by Mark Brock)
In other Class 6A state tournament action, the Dunwoody Lady Wildcats (17-5) enter the state playoffs as the No. 3 seed out of Region 7-6A and travel to Alexander (20-9) today for a 5:00 pm doubleheader in their best-of-three series. Molly Kotzin leads the Lady Wildcats with a .507 batting average and has delivered 34 RBI on 5 homers and 10 doubles and also scored 33 runs.
Region 5-3A No. 4 seed Cedar Grove (3-15) heads into their Class 3A state playoff first round matchup on Wednesday in a 5:00 pm doubleheader against East Hall (21-6)
DCSD STATE SOFTBALL PLAYOFFS
Tuesday, Oct. 8
CLASS 6A
Dunwoody (17-5) at Alexander (20-9), (DH) beginning at 5 p.m.
CLASS 5A
Kell (13-17) at Arabia Mountain (16-11), (DH) beginning at 2 p.m.
Woodland-Cartersville (19-10) at Chamblee (21-6), (DH) beginning at 2 p.m.
SW DeKalb (16-7) at East Paulding (16-11), (DH) beginning at 5 p.m.
Miller Grove (15-10) at Carrollton (24-2), (DH) beginning at 5 p.m.
Wednesday, Oct. 9
CLASS 6A
Brunswick (8-12) at M.L. King (10-4), (DH) beginning at 2 p.m.
Dunwoody (17-5) at Alexander (20-9), if necessary at 5 p.m.
CLASS 5A
Kell (13-17) at Arabia Mountain (16-11), if necessary, at 5 p.m.
Woodland-Cartersville (19-10) at Chamblee (21-6), if necessary, at 4 p.m.
SW DeKalb (16-7) at East Paulding (16-11), if necessary, at 5 p.m.
Miller Grove (15-10) at Carrollton (24-2), if necessary, at 5 p.m.
CLASS 3A
Cedar Grove (3-15) at East Hall (21-6), (DH) beginning at 5:00 p.m.
Thursday, Oct. 10
CLASS 6A
Brunswick (8-12) at M.L. King (10-4), if necessary, at 4 p.m.
CLASS 3A
Cedar Grove (3-15) at East Hall (21-6), if necessary, at 5 p.m.
Tuesday/Thursday Doubleheaders — Admission Cost: Adults $7; Students $7
Wednesday/Friday If Necessary Games — Admission Cost: Adults $5; Students $5