Decatur’s Sarah Moss (left) could not get the tag down in time as Dunwoody’s Abby Hughes steals second. (Photo by Mark Brock)
A five-run outburst in the top of the seventh inning propelled the Blue Senior All-Stars to a 7-5 victory over the Red Senior All-Stars in the 16th Annual DeKalb County (DCSD) Senior All-Star Softball Classic at Lakeside.
Trailing 5-2, Lakeside’s Gracie Miller opened the door for the rally as she reached on an error to lead off the seventh inning against Red relief pitcher Flora Vogel. A walk to Stone Mountain’s Ariel Cooper followed by a single by Emmaline Crittenden loaded the bases with one out.
Mattie Jenkins of Lakeside then ripped a single into center field to score Miller and Cooper to close the gap to 5-4. One batter later Lakeside’s Serenity Gardner delivered a two-run double down the right field line to put the Blue ahead 6-5. A groundout by Ricshell Williams of Stone Mountain plated the final run as Gardner came in to score.
Vogel, who was drafted to pitch for the Blue team after Chamblee’s Margaret Axelson had to exit the game after the fifth inning with no available pitchers left for the Blue team, switched over to pitch against the Red and closed out the game for the Blue win. Vogel set an All-Star Softball Classic record for getting the win and the loss in the game.
The Blue squad grabbed the early lead in the game as Axelson’s sacrifice fly scored Decatur’s Sarah Moss in the top of the first for a 1-0 lead. The advantage increased to 2-0 in the fourth inning as Jenkins grounded out to plate Axelson.
Tucker’s Andreya Hunter pushed the Red out in front in the bottom of the fourth inning with a two-run double to right field to knot the game. She then stole third and scored on a throwing error to put the Red up 3-2.
Lakeside’s Mattie Jenkins (left) was named the Blue MVP and Tucker’s Andreya Hunter (right) was name the Red MVP at the 16th Annual DCSD Senior All-Star Softball Classic. (Photo by Mark Brock)
Two walks, a couple of passed balls and two stolen bases allowed Dunwoody’s Jaida McCord and Gracie Puckett to score in the bottom of the fifth to make it a 5-2 game heading into the final two innings.
Vogel pitched four innings (2 innings on the mound for each) as she took the loss and got the win against herself. Axelson went five innings giving up 5 runs (2 earned), striking out 12 while walking four and allowing just two hits.
Dunwoody’s Puckett went five innings for the Red team allowing two runs, 4 hits and 1 walk while striking out four as she got a no decision.
Emmaline Crittenden went 3-4 with a double to lead the Blue at the plate. Sibley Durisch was 2-3 with a sacrifice bunt and Mattie Jenkins, the Blue MVP, was 2-4 with a run scored and three RBI.
Andreya Hunter was 1-2 with a double and two RBIs to earn the Red MVP award. Gracie Pucker (1-3) had the only other Red hit of the game.
The Blue cut the Red’s lead in the series to 5-3. The previous eight games were split into North and South squads.
See link below for the boxscore of the 2021 DCSD Senior All-Star Softball Classic: