A stellar performance at the pitcher’s circle from Courtney Powell, who recorded 13 strikeouts, propelled the varsity Lady Panthers of Georgiana to a 6-2 victory over their in-county rivals, the Greenville Lady Tigers.

The meeting was the first between the two teams this season, and Georgiana head softball coach Ezell Powell said that it was a game that he and his players went into blindly, for the most part.  Fortunately for Georgiana, knowing wasn’t half the battle Thursday.

“We knew they had three solid pitchers coming back,” Powell said. “We knew they had a couple girls in the lineup who could hit the ball really well.  So we just wanted to go out and make the routine plays.  We can’t do anything about a well-hit ball.  And we went out and did well.”

Powell called his pitcher’s performance at the circle one of the best of her career thus far.

“She did well for us in the circle Thursday, and she pitched her way out of some jams that she got in,” Powell said. “And the girls played great defense behind her, so it was a great team win.”

Despite a stellar performance at the circle, one of the best plays—and arguably the turning point for the Lady Panthers—happened in the outfield.

“There was a hustle play maid by Miya Powell made in left-center field,” Powell said. “A ball got by her, she hustled and got to the ball and threw it to the cutoff, and the girl was going for third base.  The cutoff threw the ball to third and they got her, and that play energized everybody else. 

“We went in that next inning at bat and went up 6-2, and from then on it was finishing the game and making routine plays.”

The win marked the fifth of the season for the Lady Panthers, bringing them to 5-3.

Two of those losses came at the hands of the defending state champions, the Brantley Lady Bulldogs. 

“I was pleased with our effort, but Brantley was Brantley,” Powell said.

“And we lost one to Hillcrest that I wasn’t pleased with, but we responded the next time and beat them pretty convincingly.  So we’re 5-3 on the season. We’re beating the teams that we have a chance to beat, and that’s what I want to see.  So far, they’ve done a great job of doing that, and the kids are growing together.  You can tell that they’re developing a bit of chemistry and having fun doing it.”

After spring break, the Lady Panthers will return to face Monroe County Tuesday, followed by a rematch with Greenville on the road Thursday.

Tiuanna Whittle, Tylisha Walton and Keundra Owens each went 2 for 3 at the plate for Georgiana.