Spring Garden won the softball game that mattered most last week, downing Collinsville at home Thursday 9-4. The win, the second over Collinsville this season, made Spring Garden 6-0 in Class 1A, Area 13 games and assured the host role for the sectional (area) tournament. The Panthers have an Area 13 game with Gaylesville Friday. Another Area 13 game, against Gaston, was washed out last Friday, the second time it had been rescheduled, and probably not be played.
In the win over Collinsville, eighth-grader Jordan Sides was the winning pitcher. Side pitched all seven innings. She spread nine hits and four walks, while allowing three earned runs. Sides had three strikeouts.
At the plate, Bree Blevins and Breanna Messer led Spring Garden with three hits each. Bridget Parris and Tara Mullinax both had two hits. Both Heather Smart and Harley Bonds drove in two runs. Blevins, Mullinax, Sides, Carly Mitchell and Lindsey Lambert each added an RBI.
In a game played Monday of last week at Centre, the Panthers fell to Cherokee County 2-1. Blevins allowed only one earned run but took the loss. She pitched all six innings and struck out nine Warriors while giving up five hits.
Blevins, Bonds and Smart each had two hits. Smart drove in Spring Garden’s only run.
Thursday Spring Garden travels to Cedar Bluff. The Panthers will play Cedar Bluff at 2:30 p.m. and Ranburne at 6:30 p.m.
