Lily McCord was 2-3 at the plate, drove in three runs and pitched all five innings to lead the Chamblee Lady Bulldogs to an easy 9-1 victory over the McIntosh Chiefs to win the Class 5A Super Regional at Chamblee on Friday afternoon.

McCord worked out of a runner on third with one out jam in the top of the first inning with a strikeout and fly out to bring the Bulldogs to bat in what was ultimately the deciding inning in the win.

Savannah Russell took one for the team in the helmet to lead off what would be a four-run first inning for Chamblee. Shea Parker was also hit by a pitch with one. Kate Sarago’s infield single would load the bases for McCord. McCord dropped a hit into right field to score Russell to give Chamblee the lead for good at 1-0.

Rachel Axelson made it 2-0 on an infield single and an error by McIntosh allowed Sarago to score. Julia Mansour hit a sacrifice fly to make it 4-0 going into the second inning.

McCord allowed a hit in the top of the second but stranded the runner with two strikeouts in the inning to bring Chamblee back to the plate.

Russell walked, stole second and scored on a wild pitch to up the advantage to 5-0. McCord dropped another hit into right field to score Parker and Sarago to make it a 7-0 Chamblee lead after two innings.

McCord set McIntosh (13-16) down in order in the top of the third and her teammates would add two more runs following a leadoff double by Mansour. Russell had a sacrifice fly to plate Mansour and Runsick singles into left past a diving shortstop to drive in parker Smith to make it 9-0.

Another 1-2-3 inning for McCord in the top of the fourth with Runsick playing a part in all three outs with two throws to first and catching a soft liner. Chamblee threatened in the bottom half of the fourth but left the bases loaded to keep the score at 9-0.

Amelia Angier got McIntosh on the board as her hit up the middle glanced off the glove of a diving Russell and into center field. Lizzy Lemos scored on the play to cut the lead to 9-1. McCord struck out Braley Roop to end the game by the eight-run rule.

Chamblee (26-3) won 10-2 over McIntosh in the opening game of the regional and moved into the finals with a 9-1 win over Union Grove. McIntosh rallied from the opening loss with wins of 14-2 over Ware County and 8-2 over Union Grove.

Chamblee advances to play in the state tournament in Columbus on Wednesday, October 26 at 5:00 pm. The Bulldogs face the winner of the Loganville Super Regional. Loganville is in the finals and faces the Cass/Chattahoochee winner.

In other Class 5A action, Arabia Mountain and Tucker both fell in two games straight as did Cedar Grove in the Class 3A playoffs.

DCSD SOFTBALL RESULTS
Thursday, October 20 – Friday, October 21
CLASS 5A SUPER REGIONAL AT CHAMBLEE
(Competing Schools): Chamblee; Ware County; Union Grove; McIntosh
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: McIntosh 8, Union Grove 2
Game 6: Chamblee (26-3) 9, McIntosh (13-16) 1
(Chamblee is Super Regional Champ; advances to Columbus)

CLASS 5A SUPER REGIONAL AT JONES CO.
(Competing Schools): Jones County; Northside Columbus; Arabia Mountain; Coffee County
Date: Thursday, Oct. 20
Game 2: Northside Columbus (18-11) 13, Arabia Mountain (9-8) 1
Game 3: Jones Co. 8, Arabia Mountain (9-8) 0 (eliminated)

CLASS 5A SUPER REGIONAL AT HARRIS CO.
(Competing Schools): Harris County; Ola; Statesboro; Tucker
Date: Thursday, Oct. 20
Game 1: Harris County (24-5) 16, Tucker (5-15) 0
Game 3: Statesboro 17, Tucker (5-16) 1 (eliminated)

CLASS 3A SUPER REGIONAL AT WESLEYAN
(Competing Schools): Wesleyan; Lafayette; Cedar Grove; Franklin County
Date: Thursday, Oct. 20
Game 2: Lafayette (21-5-1) 25, Cedar Grove (4-5) 0
Game 4: Franklin County 24, Cedar Grove (4-5) 0 (eliminated)