A three-run home run by senior Adriana Martinez sealed Buford’s victory over region opponent Mill Creek on Thursday, September 14 at the Buford Softball Complex. Prior to the Wolves’ 9-1 win over the Hawks, Buford’s youth teams were recognized.
Mill Creek got the first run on the board thanks to a solo home run from their third baseman Ava Brookshire in the top of the second inning. That would wind up being the Hawks’s only score of the game.
Photo by Jody Jenkins.
Caroline Stanton led off the bottom of the second inning with her own solo home run (her fourth home run of the season) to put Buford on the board. Summer Castorri was walked and then Tavye Borders hit a single. Castorri and Borders both stole a base putting them at third base and second base as Kylie Gower stepped up to the plate. Gower’s sac fly allowed Castorri to score followed up by Borders scoring a run thanks to a single by Kadyn Gabrels. A wild pitch and a single from Madison Pickens drove in Gabrels adding Buford’s fourth run of the game. Mill Creek’s troubles were still not over in the bottom of the second inning as Mackenzie Pickens hit a two-run home run (her 13th home run of the season) right up the middle. Buford was up 6-1 going into the third inning.
Photo by Jody Jenkins.
Both teams failed to put runs on the board until the bottom of the fifth inning. Buford was back at the top of their lineup with Madison Pickens. She hit a single followed by her stealing second base. Mackenzie Pickens made it on base thanks to being walked. Both Pickens sisters would be driven in by a three-run home run hit well over the left field wall by Martinez. That would be Martinez’s sixth home run of the season. The game was called at that time due to the run rule.
Senior Emma Grace Williams (6-0) records the win for Buford. She pitched five innings where she only gave up two hits, one earned run and no walks while striking out five batters.
Offensive standouts for the Wolves were Madison Pickens (3-for-3, double, one RBI, two runs scored, two stolen bases), Martinez (1-for-3, three-run home run, three RBIs, one run scored), Mackenzie Pickens (1-for-2, two-run home run, two RBIs, two runs scored) and Stanton (1-for-2, solo home run, one RBI, one run scored).
Buford’s overall season record improved to 16-0 and 7-0 in Region 8-AAAAAAA.
On Monday, September 18, the Wolves will travel to play a non-region game against Walnut Grove. The game starts at 6 p.m.
Featured photo: Adriana Martinez (center photo) hits a game-ending three-run home run in the fifth inning against Mill Creek. Photo by David McGregor. Buford softball celebrates Youth Night on September 14 prior to the start of the Mill Creek game (right and left photos). Photos by Jody Jenkins.
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