Lady Rebels Ride High in Home Opener

The Fannin County High School Lady Rebels varsity softball team defeated the Dragonettes of Pickens High School 5-2 in the home opener for the Lady Rebels. The game began as a pitchers’ duel between Fannin’s Sadie Golden and the “Nettes’” Savannah Buck. The Lady Rebels pulled away in the bottom of the fourth, scoring two runs to take the lead for good.Golden was golden in the first inning, as she was on fire while the Dragonettes were retired in three straight batters. Lead off batter, Megan Dixon grounded out to the short stop. Danielle Goss followed suite with a repeat of Dixon’s at bat. Kristen Garner popped out to the short stop as well, giving, Lady Rebel, Missy Dixon three straight recorded outs.

Fannin faired no better than their counterparts in the first inning, as the Dragonette’s Buck, was on fire. Lead off batter, Missy Dixon, struck out, followed by an additional strike out by Ashley Watkins. The inning came to a close when Candace German ground out to third.

Buck began the second inning off when she reached first via a walk. MarJo Childers was brought in as courtesy runner, and stole second. Kennedy McTaggert followed, but failed to reach first. The Dragonettes’ scoring threat came to a close when Childers was thrown out at third and Ellie Fields ground out to Golden.

Neither team was able to score in the second and third innings as both pitchers battled and retired batters left and righties.

The fourth inning found runs scored by both teams. Dragonette, Megan Dixon, led off the inning with a triple, and scored when, next batter, Danielle Goss drove her in with a sacrifice fly to give the Dragonettes a 1-0 lead. Kristen Garner walked, and following a fly out to center field by Buck, Kennedy McTaggert double to left field to put women on second and third. The “Nettes” hot streak cooled when Ellie Fields struck out.

The bottom of the fourth saw Alexis Collis lead off with a line drive single right past second base. She moved into scoring position when she was able to steal both second and third off errant pitches. Karly Thompson drove her in with an RBI triple that tied the game at one a piece. Natalie McLaughin’s RBI single scored Thompson, and the Lady Rebels took the lead. Mallory Deal’s sacrifice bunt moved McLaughin to second and Kelley Watkins’ RBI single made the score 3-1 in Fannin’s favor. Josie Millsaps was brought in as a courtesy runner, but was thrown out trying to steal second. Golden was unable to get on base, ending the inning.

The Nettes caught got hot in the top of the fifth. Salone Brown led off with a single to center field. Elisha Roland’s sacrifice bunt moved Brown to second. Following a fly out, Dixon’s single to right field put women on first and second. Brown was able to Hambergurlar home, cutting the lead to one (3-2). Dixon stole second on the failed Fannin play at home on Brown. The Nettes’ scoring threat came to an end when Goss grounded out to the short stop.

The Lady Rebels secured the lead for good with a two out rally in the bottom of the fifth. German was the first Fannin player to reach base in the inning when she hit a blooper single to left field. Collis’ RBI line double to center field made the score (4-2). Thompson followed with an RBI single that scored Collis giving the game its final score (5-2).

The Dragonettes were held scoreless throughout the game’s final three innings securing the win for Fannin.