Carter lifts Fillies in extras for ABAC's fifth win

TIFTON – It has been a little more than one week since the Fillies has taken the field after a few shuffles in the schedule this past week. ABAC coming off the weekend series in Chipola last weekend resulted in two wins for the team including a 9-0 decision over Jefferson Davis, and the last came against Columbia by the score of 3-2. Coming off a 3-2 decision in their last win, it was this time that ABAC hosted Chipola for a two game set this past Monday afternoon, which resulted in a series split. Olivia Carter hit the walk-off single in the bottom of the eighth inning, plating Haley Dobson giving the team their fifth win on the year with the score being 3-2. 

 Chipola coming into the game was unblemished in the loss column, and winners of their last twenty one games. 

Kameron Coggins made her fifth appearance for the Fillies in the circle, and from pitch one kept the visitors bats at bay. Coggins first out came on a strikeout for the first out of the inning. A single followed on the next play, and a stolen base to put a runner in scoring position early. The second out of the inning came on a fly ball out caught by Dobson in center, and a groundball ended the visitor's chances with two runners left on after a base on balls. 

No runs crossed for either team as the first three innings came and gone. 

The first hit of the game to highlight the board came in the second frame, as Coggins allowed a leadoff base hit to start the frame. Another single was the result of the next play, but Dobson came up firing on the throw to the plate as the runner tried to cross home plate resulting in the first out of the inning which was received by Kali Price. Two balls in the air and 14 pitches later, the side was retired with another runner stranded in scoring position. 

ABAC would have its first base runner reach in the bottom of the third with one out. Victoria Jordan would make the most of her at-bat falling into a hole early, 0-2. She would battle off another four pitches in her at-bat, along with three more balls to reach first base on the walk. But a double play would sour the chances of the first run being scored for the hosts, and no score would still be the result. 

Coggins second and third strikeout would come just a half inning prior to kept the Lady Indians off the board. 

As ABAC would hit into a double play in the third, Coggins would get that same result behind her after a double and walk started things off for the visitors. Two pitches into the third batter, Coggins caught the line drive ball for the first out and came back across to first to catch the runner off the bag heading to second. She would end the fourth like she did in the third frame, her fourth strikeout to get the offense back to the plate. 

A few gutsy bunts, and one too many bobbles by the visitors defense allowed ABAC to gain so much needed momentum late in the game. Dobson and Trenity Coleman would start the runners up on the bases. Dobson would steal third base on the second pitch of Taylor Corbett's at bat. Corbett hit the fifth pitch on the ground to score Dobson, but two outs were recorded. Just prior to the ball on the ground, Coleman would be out at second. 

Dobson would help carry that momentum of the first run of the game, as she recorded two of the three outs in the top half of the next inning with another Coggins strikeout. 

The Fillies next hit would come off the bat of Bailey Leger which was hit hard enough for a double in the sixth inning. 

Chipola would finally come across to tie the game up in the top of the seventh, and eventually break the tie with their second run on a few timely base hits. 

ABAC, however, used the bat of Carter to ignite the offense in the bottom half of the inning. Carter hit the ball hard in her previous trips to the plate, but the first pitch of her third at bat was launched to center field for a lead-off triple.  Savannah Gabriel would sit back and wait on the fourth pitch of her at-bat with a double, which scored Carter and just like that we were tied back up at two apiece. 

Coggins would make work of the line-up in the eighth again recording two of the three outs on strikes to make quick work of the visitors in the inning. 

Leger was placed on second base to start the bottom half of the inning, Dobson was then hit by a pitch, and ABAC now had the go-ahead run at second base. Coleman laid down a sacrifice bunt to advance the runners one base. Now with runners at second and third, a groundball was the result for the second out as Somers was out coming home, pinch running for Leger. Dobson was now at third base, and Carter stepped in. Carter in her last at bat mashed the ball to the fence, and nothing was different this time. She again would be first pitch swinging, and would hit another line drive, scoring the Dobson for a 3-2 Fillies win. 

Offensively, Carter would finish at the top for the Fillies going 3-for-4 with two triples, scoring one run, and driving in the game-winning run. Gabriel and Leger would collect the other two hits for the Fillies in the first game. 

In the circle, Coggins would pick up her third win tossing eight strong innings, while fanning eight batters on six hits. 

In the night cap, ABAC would fall 7-1. 

Gabriel, Corbett, and Dobson all collected hits in the game. 

As the non-conference part of the schedule is now complete, ABAC will now tune-in for their first conference slate of games which will be on the road tomorrow afternoon in Swainsboro against East Georgia. First pitch will be at 1:00 with the second game to follow. The Fillies will return home Saturday afternoon against South Georgia. 

By: J. Roy Rowland IV, Sports Correspondent, Tifton Gazette