Softball Downs Alcovy, Secures No. 2 Seed in Region 8

The Jackson County softball team finished off a hot start to the Region 8-AAAAA regular season schedule Wednesday night, defeating Alcovy 4-1. The Panthers' seventh-straight region victory secured Jackson County the No. 2 seed from Region 8 and a home playoff series when the Class AAAAA state playoffs begin next week. 

The Panthers' opponent will be the No. 3 seed from Region 2-AAAAA, the most southern region in the state of Georgia. 

The win over Alcovy on Wednesday night was the Panthers' second in two nights, following a 5-3 win over Winder-Barrow High School on Tuesday. The Panthers needed to win both games in order to secure the No. 2 seed, and avoid having to play a tiebreaker game to determine road playoff seeding on Thursday. 

JCHS, 4, AHS 1: The Panthers racked up 11 hits and limited Alcovy to just three hits and one run on Wednesday night. Morgan Clendenen was phenomenal in the circle, allowing just one earned run in the sixth inning, while striking out a season-high eight batters. 

Emery Schiffman led the night offensively. The Panthers' leadoff batter finished 3 for 4 with 2 runs scored, while Miabella Lee and Sofia McCafferty each finished with two hits on the night. In total, seven Panthers recorded a hit on the night, with Lee, Ryleigh O'Brien, Emma Mardos and McCafferty driving in runs. 

JCHS 5, WBHS 3: The Panthers raced out to a 2-0 lead in the first inning, added another in the fifth and two more in the sixth, withstanding a large charge from the Lady Bulldogs, to secure the 5-3 win. 

Reese Wilson, Schiffman and O'Brien accounted for six of the nine Jackson County hits in the win. Clendenen earned the win in the circle, allowing two earned runs on nine hits and striking out three.