By HARVEY SIMPSON
Dispatch Sports Editor
GRIFFIN — Fatigue seemed to finally catch up to Crisp County High’s Lady Cougars during their weekend participation in the Spalding-Griffin Invitational where they posted a 3-2 record.
After beating Fitzgerald in a Thursday night scrimmage, coach Kevin Blampied’s girls scored a 6-0 win over Salem and a 3-2 victory over Newton County while winning their pool play on Friday.
When Saturday’s action rolled around, Crisp played three straight games back-to-back, dropping a 5-4 extra-innings decision to West Laurens, beating Dunwoody 12-3 and then bowing 4-0 to Lovett.
“Considering how much softball we had played since Thursday, I thought we did rather well here,” Blampied said. “Not taking anything away from Lovett, but we looked a little fatigued against them as having to play back to back to back is tough.
“All things considered, we got exactly what we wanted in the tournament — experience against tough competition in game situations. Hopefully, this will prepare us for our region (1-AAA) opener Tuesday at Cairo.”
A brief recap of the games played here follows:
Crisp 6, Salem 0
Striking for three runs in the first when Alston Waldrip’s two-run double turned out to be their only hit of the game, the Lady Cougars got off to a solid start and never looked back.
The mound win went to Ashley Holt who struck out seven, walked just one and allowed only two hits in a route-going effort.
Crisp 3, Newton County 1
Again limited to just one safety — Jamie Lee Yawn’s single —, Crisp emerged victorious by scoring all three of its runs in the fifth to break a scoreless tie.
Hallye Hobbs picked up the mound victory with a route-going two-hitter during which she fanned three and walked three.
West Laurens 5, Crisp 4
Heading into the last of the fifth with a 4-1 lead, the Lady Cougars appeared to be in good shape to record a third tourney win in as many starts. It wasn’t to be, though, as the Lady Raiders pushed across three runs then to force an extra inning of play where they got the winning run.
Crisp’s bats did come to life in defeat as Yawn and losing pitcher Holt collect
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ed two hits each and Taylor Perry slapped a two-run single.
Crisp 12, Dunwoody 3
A seven-run first-inning production enabled Crisp to breathe easily the rest of the way while riding Hobbs’ four-hit, one-strikeout pitching performance to an easy win.
Holt hammered three hits, Waldrip stroked two and Brittany Mitchell, Taylor Holmes, Anna Posey and Hobbs all came up with a safety apiece.
Lovett 4, Crisp 0
For 4 1/2 innings, this contest was scoreless as both teams got good pitching.
Holt and Lakyn Arnett split the mound duties for the Lady Cougars who went down in defeat when the Lady Lions did all the game’s scoring in the last of the fifth.
In defeat, Crisp got hits from Posey, Andrea Tucker and Shelby Simmons.
