ACE secures control of region with thrilling walk-off over East Laurens

After a fierce pitching battle, the ACE Gryphons pulled out with a 3-2 victory in walk-off fashion on their senior night over heated rival East Laurens to vault into first place in the region, with East Laurens at a close second. 

It was a de facto region title game for both teams in GHSA Region 2-A Division I, as the Gryphons now control their own destiny in the region with only two region games left against teams it has beat handily already this season.

“We knew coming into this one it was going to be a battle,” ACE head coach Andrew Claxton said. 

Pitchers Giselle Giles for the Gryphons and DeAndrea Lowther for the Falcons both had great showings throughout the game, but Giles was pulled from the circle in the top of the sixth after being plagued with walks. 

Both offenses struggled early despite many chances to score. It wasn’t until the bottom of the fourth when Giselle Giles knocked in a run for a 1-0 ACE lead. 

Despite opportunities for more, Lowther grabbed the final outs to send it to the fifth. 

The Falcons got things going in the top of the sixth when the bottom of their order loaded the bases before Lowther helped herself out, driving in two runs for East Laurens to give her team a 2-1 lead. The Falcons threatened to score again, but pitcher Ella Allen was able to get the last out. 

In the bottom of the sixth, Sydney Collins got a hit to start things off for the Gryphon’s offense. Pinch runner Brook Norris then stole second and third before scoring to tie the game 2-2.

East Laurens would not go away quietly, however, as Lowther got a base knock in the top of the seventh, then swiped a bag and got to third on a Jaden Foskey groundout. But ACE extinguished the threat in stunning fashion, as Olivea Jackson lined a ball right at Gryphons shortstop Sophie Denney. ACE doubled off Lowther at third to send things to the bottom of the seventh.

The Gryphons looked as if they might go quietly to send the game to extras after two quick outs, but Avery Stone stepped up to the plate at the top of the order and was able to snatch a hit off of Lowther, eventually reaching third from another wild pitch.

After Kayleigh Kell was hit by a pitch, senior Reese Thames stepped to the plate. Even after the momentum of the two-out rally, though, things were tense when Thames went down 0-2 in the count after some quick strikes and foul balls.

It meant little once Thames got her pitch, driving a ball to third base that could not be corralled by the third baseman as Stone scored from third to secure ACE control of the region.

It was a revenge game for the Gryphons, as East Laurens had defeated them earlier in the season and won the region over ACE last year by a slim margin. The Gryphons, should they win their two remaining region contests against Dublin and Southwest, will be in position for priority seeding in the Class A-Division I playoffs under the power rankings system.