CRC softball sees season end in Georgia

May 7, 2021

by Dustin Semore, Sports Information Director

LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. – Crowley's Ridge College Lady Pioneer softball saw their 2021 campaign come to a conclusion after the Lady Pioneers fell to the Lady Tigers of Edward Waters (Fla.) College 3-1 in the first elimination game of the 2021 A.I.I. Conference Championship.

In her final start for Crowley's Ridge (21-19), Sammi Henry (SR/Marmaduke, Ark.) sat down the side in order; however, lengthy at-bats by the Tigers saw Henry's pitch count jump to 23 pitches in the first inning. Bre'Anna Warren (SR/Forrest City, Ark.) legged out an infield single in the home half of the first inning. Rachel Russell (SR/Russellville, Ark.)'s RBI single to right-center field plated Warren to give the Lady 'Neers an early 1-0 lead.

A leadoff double for Edward Waters (19-10) in the top of the third inning paid off as the Tigers scored the tying run after a diving stop by Rachel Russell forced a close play at first, but beating Ivey Moreland beat out the throw to drive the run in.

Evening out her pitch count, Henry retired the Tigers in the top of the fourth inning needing only four pitches.

With Summer Maxwell (SR/Forrest City, Ark.) on in relief, EWC led off the fifth inning with a pinch-hit single. Two stolen bases later, Moreland's groundout brought home the go-ahead run, taking a 2-1 lead.

Kaitlyn Stebelton (SR/Crosby, Texas) threatened to tie the game in the home half of the fifth inning with a two-out triple, but a bang-bang play at first base retired Warren to keep the Lady 'Neers in the hole.

After adding an insurance run in the top of the seventh, the Tigers struck out two Lady Pioneers in the bottom of the seventh to end CRC's season 3-1.

Stebelton led the Pioneer bats with a pair of hits. Russell and Warren collected the other two Crowley's Ridge hits.