Lyons, GA. – August 21, 2023 | Coach Hayne Brant

The Lady Dawgs fell to South Effingham High School 8-0 in the 280 Invitational on Saturday morning. SEHS scored 3 runs in the top of the first and never looked back. The Lady Dawgs were unable to answer.

The top performers in the game were Morgan Kersey, who went 2-for-2 with two singles, and Kassidy Brantley, who went 1-for-2 with a double. Nora Grace Mercer added a sac fly, and Casey Cantwell had two strikeouts.

Casey Cantwell began the game in the pitcher’s circle for the Bulldogs. She allowed 10 hits and eight runs (seven earned) over six innings, striking out one and walking one.

In the second game of the day, the Lady Dawgs won in dramatic fashion with a 4-3 walk-off victory over Harlem. The game was tied at three in the bottom of the seventh when Casey Cantwell singled, scoring the winning run.

Shay Stringer was strong on the mound, striking out 11 batters on the day. The southpaw only allowed four hits and three runs over seven innings.

The Lady Dawgs offense was led by Nora Grace Mercer and Emerson Powell, who both went 2-for-3 with 2 singles and a walk. The pivotal moment came in the 3rd inning when E. Powell hit a single, driving in an RBI and making the score 2-1. Stringer followed with a single, driving in 2 runs, making the score 2-3.

Harlem would tie the game in the 5th, but the Bulldogs would battle and get the victory in the bottom of the 7th.