All four Bulloch County softball teams were in action for the first full week of the season. Teams had to ramp back up after having a week off due to Tropical Storm Debby. All teams played several games to see how they good they were to start a long fall season.
Statesboro High
The Statesboro High Lady Blue Devils went 1-2 on the week and start the season off with a 1-3 record. They started things off with a 5-0 win against Swainsboro, but would drop the next two games. In a thriller on Wednesday evening, Statesboro lost to county rival Southeast Bulloch off of a walk-off in the 8th inning. The Blue Devils closed their week with a 8-1 defeat to Richmond Hill.
Despite the rough start, head coach Karry Parker is proud of her team's play.
"They continue to learn and work hard to improve at their individual roles," Parker said. "I saw some mental toughness, some intensity, and some grit this week. These girls are willing to get better."
The team going to go on the road for both of their games next week and the Lady Devils are looking to bounce back.
"No one likes losing, however sometimes that is the best way to learn to fight back," Parker said.
The Lady Devils will have a chance at revenge as they take on Richmond Hill and Swainsboro on the road. Statesboro will face Richmond Hill on Monday, August 19 at 5:30 pm. Statesboro will face Swainsboro on Thursday, August 22 at 6:00 pm.
Southeast Bulloch
Southeast Bulloch had the busiest week of the 4 teams. The Yellow Jackets finished with a 6-0 record on the week. On Tuesday, Southeast Bulloch swept Burke County in a doubleheader and outscored their opponents 30-0 over the two games. On Wednesday, the Yellow Jackets defeated county rival Statesboro Blue Devils 5-4 off of a walk-off run. Southeast Bulloch defeated Lanier County 6-5 on Friday. They closed out the week with two wins on Saturday against Camden County and Crisp County.
Head coach Aimee Civallier says it was an all-around effort in her team's start.
"We had solid pitching. good defense and enough quality at bats to score more runs than our opponents," Civallier said.
Civallier credited her junior pitchers for playing very well during the opening stretch of the season.
"Trell Reed and Marissa Waters have split time on the mound and they have both done an excellent job of keeping us in every ball game," Civallier said.
The 6-0 record doesn't tell the full story of the Lady Jackets first few games. Southeast Bulloch was able to have wins by large margins and some very tight wins.
"I am very proud of our team for winning 3 close games and two of them were come from behind wins," Civallier said. "That shows grit and determination to find a way to get it done. They do not give up and as long as we still have another at bat, we still have a chance."
The Lady Jackets will take go on the road to take on Calvary Day on Tuesday, August 20, at 4:30 pm. Southeast Bulloch will face Long County on Thursday, August 22, at 5:30 pm.
Bulloch Academy
Bulloch Academy started its season off with a home stand. The Lady Gators finished 3-1 on the week and currently have a 4-1 record on the season. They took home wins against Tattnall County, Briarwood Academy, and Jenkins County, Bulloch Academy outscored their opponents 38-8 in their wins. The Gators took their first loss of the season on Saturday when they took on First Presbyterian Day with the final score was 9-1.
Head Coach, Ashley Burke gave credit to her team's offensive performance over the first few games.
"The takeaways from the first couple games has been that the girls bats have been hot," Burke said.
The Lady Gators had 17 hits in their win on Wednesday against Jenkins County.
"The progression and the consistency is the main reason why our team has been successful so far," Burke mentioned.
Bulloch Academy will face Edmund Burke Academy on Wednesday, August 21, at home at 6:00 pm. Their second game of the week will be at Robert Toombs Christian Academy on Wednesday, August 22, at 6:00 pm.
Coach Burke and her team are looking to bounce back from Saturday and continue the hot start. "We go by three things when it comes to playing softball games and practicing: Encourage, communicate, and compete," Burke said.
Portal
Portal split their first two of the season. They started with a big 17-1 win against McIntosh County Academy on Tuesday. They lost the second game of the year 10-1 against Claxton on Thursday,
Portal will take on Screven County on the road on Tuesday, August 20, at 6:00 pm. The Lady Panthers will host Jenkins County on Thursday, August 22, at 6:00 pm.
