Tiftarea Lady Panthers’ playoff run ends

Published 5:14 pm Friday, October 18, 2024

COLUMBUS — Tiftarea Academy made it to the final four, but saw their season come to an end Friday afternoon at the GIAA Class 3A state softball tournament.

After falling in the first round, the Lady Panthers staved off elimination twice in the consolation bracket. They held a 4-2 lead in the consolation semifinals Friday afternoon against Pinewood Christian, but saw momentum turn against them in a 10-4 loss.

Pinewood was to face Piedmont Academy in the consolation finals. Westfield, who won over TA in the first round, has earned a spot in the championship series.

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Cloe Sercer had a big state tournament, including hitting a two-run homer for Tiftarea.

Tiftarea terrorized Brookwood in the 10 a.m. game Friday, 10-1 in five frames.

Cloe Sercer gave them their initial lead with a first inning double, bringing home Summer Gray. Olivia Monfort followed with an RBI single. Gray drove in Chloe Brand in the second.

Five big runs scored in the third.

Sercer hit a two-run homer. Later, Gray singled in Carmen Corkern and two runs came home on an error off the bat of Coley Beth Croft.

Croft and Raelyn Owens put the game in mercy rule territory in the fifth.

Gray allowed a single earned run in the circle and struck out four.

Pinewood and the Lady Panthers were tied 1-1 through three innings before the opposition added a run in the fourth.

Tiftarea took the lead on a three-run homer by Calla Joyner in the fifth that scored Raelyn Owens and Monfort.

Unfortunately, Pinewood scored six times in the bottom half, then added more in the sixth to win.