COLUMBUS, Ga. - The Mount Vernon Varsity Softball team is staying put in the winner's bracket for at least another day in the Elite 8.
With the game deadlocked at 0-0, Frances Hunt finished off a 3-2 battle at the dish with a walk-off single to left field to plate Mollie Martin, sending the Mustangs to a 1-0 victory over the Bleckley County Royals at the South Commons Softball Complex on Wednesday afternoon, Oct.26.
The Mustangs (26-5) will now square off against Heard County for a chance to stay in the winner's bracket again on Thursday afternoon.
A pitcher's duel most of the game, Mustang ace Grace Westmoreland and Royal long reliever Riley Haley traded impressive turns getting out of jams throughout much of the contest.
Haley limited the Mustangs to five hits, struck out four batters and escaped in the first, third, fourth and sixth inning with at least one runner in scoring position for Mount Vernon.
Westmoreland would not be outdone, pitching through high pressure moments with the Royals threatening to score in the first, fourth, fifth and seventh inning with at least one runner in scoring position.
Perhaps the most impressive escape was in the top of the seventh inning when the Royals put the go-ahead runs at first and second with just one out.
After inducing a groundout by Bleckley's Addison Hill that advanced the runners, Westmoreland fanned Keymyah Anderson to end the scare putting the Mustangs in a position to win and advance.
Martin led off the bottom of the seventh with a single to right field and advanced to second on a Royal mishap in the outfield.
Hunt followed with the walk-off heroics.
Westmoreland totaled 10 strikeouts and allowed just one hit over seven innings en route to her 14th win of the season.
First pitch against Heard County (23-10) is scheduled for 1 p.m. at Field 6 on Thursday.
The Braves defeated Social Circle 8-1 in their tournament opener on Wednesday afternoon.
For a complete up-to-date tournament bracket,
Established in 1972, The Mount Vernon School, serves over 1,200 students in preschool through grade 12 on our 40-acre Atlanta campus. As a leading visionary independent school, Mount Vernon’s brand of innovation and entrepreneurship has emerged over the last decade, impacting schools in the US and across the globe through Mount Vernon Ventures, a research, strategy, and consulting division of the School. In addition, in 2021 the School launched a global online program for grade 9-12 to meet the needs of today’s flexible family. Through established partnerships with Fortune 500 companies, non-profits, and civic environments, our mission is to design a better world...together.
HUNT'S WALK-OFF, WESTMORELAND'S GEM SENDS MUSTANGS PAST BLECKLEY COUNTY IN ELITE 8 OPENER
