THOMASVILLE — The Thomasville Lady Bulldogs softball team opened up their season at home on Wednesday afternoon against the Clinch County Lady Panthers, falling short after the Lady Panthers pulled away in the top of the seventh inning, 7-5.
The Panthers were able to get on the board early in the top of the first inning after Ellie Grace Griffis and Makailey Cobb both walked. An error by Thomasville allowed Cobb to score on the second play of the game. Clinch’s Callie Smith would later ground out, scoring Griffis, giving the Panthers a 2-0 lead. They tacked on one more run after Maki Tiner hit a fly ball, reaching on a Thomasville error.
The Lady Bulldogs wouldn’t stay down for long and tied up the game in the third inning.
The team scored twice in the bottom of the first inning before a ground out by Caroline Still allowed Cece Myers to score in the bottom of the third.
A sacrifice bunt by Alice Pearson allowed Clinch to retake the lead, 4-3, in the top of the fourth inning, however.
Determined to make a comeback, the Lady Bulldogs went full force in the bottom of the fifth inning with back-to-back homers by Myers and Daylee Beatty, giving the Dogs a narrow 5-4 lead.
The Lady Dogs held onto their lead until the top of the seventh inning, but came up short after Tiner’s pop fly sent two Lady Panthers home on an error by the Lady Dogs.
Sophie Corbitt claimed the win for Clinch County. She surrendered five hits and five runs over seven innings, striking out two and walking six.
Khiler Oehlhof took the loss for the Lady Dogs.
Oehlhof went seven innings, allowing seven runs on five hits, striking out seven and walking two. Oehlhof led the Lady Dogs in the box with two hits in four at-bats.
Tiner went 2-for-4 at the plate for the Lady Panthers.
The Lady Dogs will travel to Fitzgerald on Tuesday, looking to bounce back in their first region game.