Chamblee advanced to the finals of the Super Regional and one win from returning to Columbus for the state tournament after defeating McIntosh 10-2 and Union Grove 9-1 at Chamblee on Thursday in the Class 5A state playoffs.

The Bulldogs (25-3) closed out their second win of the day as Rachel Axelson singled into left field past a drawn in infield with the bases loaded to score Shea Parker to end the game by the run-rule over the Union Grove Wolverines in the 9-1 win in a semifinal game of the Super Regional.

Chamblee led 5-1 heading into the bottom of the sixth when Parker Smith reached on an error and advance to second. Savannah Russell followed with a double deep to the left-center field gap to plate Smith to make it 6-1. Rachel Runsick was the next Bulldog to step to the plate and responded with a hard-hit single up the middle into center field to plate Russell as the lead expanded to 7-1.

Shea Parker singled into the hole on the right side of the infield to score Runsick who had stolen third base to make it 8-1. Kate Sarago singled to left and Lily McCord walked to load the bases for Axelson who delivered the game-ending single.

Union Grove had defeated Ware County 18-8 to advance to the semifinal game against Chamblee and promptly to a 1-0 lead in the top of the first inning on a Faith Southern RBI double to the gap in left-center.

The score remained 1-0 until the bottom of the second when Sarago reached on a bunt single, stole second and moved to third on a wild pitch. As the Union Grove pitcher and catcher took their time and ignored Sarago who was off third, the Chamblee runner took off and caught them by surprise. The steal of home tied the game at 1-1.

Chamblee took advantage of a couple of Union Grove errors as McCord and Axelson who both reached base had their courtesy runners Caroline Runsick and Shea Fagan come around to score to make it a 3-1 game.

The game was still 3-1 in the bottom of the fifth when McCord aided her own cause with a big two-out single into right field to score Runsick and Sarago to extend the lead to 5-1 going into the sixth inning.

Runsick, Sarago and Axelson all went 3-4 with an RBI in the game and Shea Parker was 2-4 with an RBI. McCord went all six innings on the mound striking out seven and walking one while scattering five hits.

GAME 1: Chamblee 10, McIntosh 2
Chamblee advanced to the semifinal by jumping on the McIntosh Chiefs for six runs in the first inning on the way a 10-2 win in five innings.

Kate Sarago and MacKenzie Cassidy had RBI singles in the big first inning and Savannah Russell and Rachel Runsick both drove in runs via the hit-by-pitch with the bases loaded.

Sarago started the second inning with a bunt single and Lily McCord hit a hard line drive into left field the McIntosh fielder could not get to for a double and RBI to make it 7-0. Julia Mansour’s groundout plated Caroline Runsick (courtesy runner for McCord) to give Chamblee an 8-0 advantage heading into the third inning.

The score remained 8-0 until the bottom of the fourth when McCord grounded out to second to score Sarago for a 9-0 lead.

McIntosh (11-15) put up two runs in the top of the fifth to keep the game alive as Ameilia Angier and Marissa Itchon singled in runs to make it 9-2.

Parker Smith singled up the middle to start the bottom of the fifth. With one out in the inning, Chamblee’s Rachel Runsick singled up the middle and an errant throw by the McIntosh center fielder allowed Smith to score the game-ending run.

Kate Sarago was 3-3 at the plate, scored three runs, stole two bases and had a RBI to lead Chamblee. Lily McCord had two RBIs and score two runs. Amelia Angier and Marissa Itchon were both 2-3 with a RBI to lead McIntosh.

Chamblee will play the winner of McIntosh and Union Grove at 12:00 pm on Friday in the championship round.

Thursday, October 20 – Friday, October 21
CLASS 5A SUPER REGIONAL AT CHAMBLEE
(Competing Schools): Chamblee; Ware County; Union Grove; McIntosh
Location: Chamblee
Date: Thursday, Oct. 20
Game 1: Chamblee (24-3) 10, McIntosh (11-15) 2
Game 2: Union Grove 18,Ware County 8
Game 3: Chamblee (25-3) 9, Union Grove 1
Game 4: McIntosh 14, Ware County 2
Date: Friday, Oct. 21
Game 5: Union Grove vs. McIntosh at 10 a.m.
Game 6: Chamblee (25-3) vs. Winner of Game 5 at 12:00 p.m.
Game 7: If necessary, at 2:00 p.m.

CLASS 5A SUPER REGIONAL AT JONES CO.
(Competing Schools): Jones County; Northside Columbus; Arabia Mountain; Coffee County
Date: Thursday, Oct. 20
Game 1: Jones County vs. Coffee County at 12:00 p.m.
Game 2: Northside Columbus (17-11) vs. Arabia Mountain (9-7) at 2:00 p.m,
Game 3: Losers of Game 1 and Game 2 at 4:00 p.m.
Game 4: Winners of Game 1 and Game 2 play at 6:00 p.m.
Date: Friday, Oct. 21
Game 5: Loser of Game 4 vs. Winner of Game 3 at 2:00 p.m.
Game 6: Winner of Game 4 vs. Winner of Game 5 at 4:00 p.m.
Game 7: If necessary, at 6:00 p.m.

CLASS 5A SUPER REGIONAL AT HARRIS CO.
(Competing Schools): Harris County; Ola; Statesboro; Tucker
Date: Thursday, Oct. 20
Game 1: Harris County (23-5) vs. Tucker (5-14) at 12:00 p.m.
Game 2: Ola vs. Statesboro at 2:30 p.m,
Game 3: Losers of Game 1 and Game 2 at 5:00 p.m.
Game 4: Winners of Game 1 and Game 2 play at 7:30 p.m.
Date: Friday, Oct. 21
Game 5: Loser of Game 4 vs. Winner of Game 3 at 1 p.m.
Game 6: Winner of Game 4 vs. Winner of Game 5 at 3:30 p.m.
Game 7: If necessary, at 6:00 p.m.

CLASS 3A SUPER REGIONAL AT WESLEYAN
(Competing Schools): Wesleyan; Lafayette; Cedar Grove; Franklin County
Date: Thursday, Oct. 20
Game 1: Wesleyan vs. Franklin County at 12:00 p.m.
Game 2: Lafayette (20-5-1) vs. Cedar Grove (4-4) at 2:00 p.m,
Game 3: Winner of Game 1 and Winner of Game 2 at 4:00 p.m.
Game 4: Loser of Game 1 and Loser of Game 2 at 6:00 p.m.
Date: Friday, Oct. 21
Game 5: Loser of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 4 at 3:00 p.m.
Game 6: Winner of Game 3 vs. Winner of Game 5 at 5:00 p.m.
Game 7: If necessary, at 7:00 p.m.