Colquitt softball team blasts Fitzgerald in scrimmage, will open Tuesday at home

Aug. 3—MOULTRIE — The Colquitt County softball team, eager to embark on a promising 2022 season, tuned up for it on Tuesday with a 19-2 scrimmage victory at Fitzgerald.

Senior Emily Allegood led the offensive assault with two hits, including a third-inning grand slam, and five runs batted in.

She also drew a bases-loaded walk.

Maris Hopper, Madison Plymel, Laura Hailey Bryan and Libby Wetherington also had a pair of hits in the five-inning win over the Region 1-AA Lady Hurricanes.

Carli Pearson, Morgan Holder, Peyton Arrington and Kamri Paulk each had one hit. Arrington's was a triple.

Allegood also pitched the first two innings and did not allow a run or a hit. She struck out five.

Hopper pitched a scoreless third inning and struck out three.

Paulk and Arrington each pitched an inning.

The Lady Packers are coming off the best three-year run since the school started playing fast-pitch in 2001 and will crank up the current season in earnest when they play host to former Region 1-7A rival Tift County at 5:30 p.m. on Tuesday, Aug. 9, at Packer Park.

Since the start of the 2019 season, the Lady Packers have gone a combined 69-24 and have reached the state tournament in Columbus in 2019 and 2021.

Colquitt went 25-5, had a 14-game winning streak and won the Region 1-7A championship last season.

Two of the Lady Packers losses were to state champion North Gwinnett. Another came at the hands of Mill Creek, which finished third in the state.

And most promising is that the core of the 2021 team is back.

Colquitt lost just two starters from last year's team and veterans Allegood, Plymel, Hopper, Bryan, Holder, Julia Duncan, Pearson and Jacey Wetherington are still on board.

Joining that talented ensemble this year are Paulk, Arrington, RaJayla McBride, Libby Wetherington, Shyanne Harp and Jayden Sullivan.

Allegood was named the Region 1-7A Player of the Year and Pitcher of the Year as a junior last season and was named to the Georgia Athletic Coaches Association's All-State team.

In the circle, she was 16-3 with a 2.50 ERA. She struck out 90 batters in 93 innings.

In her three seasons with the Lady Packers, she has posted a 31-9 record and has struck out 215 batters.

Last year, she also led the team in batting average, .475; home runs, with six (tie); runs batted in, with 31; and extra base hits, with 31.

Allegood will not have to shoulder all the pitching duties, however.

Hopper was 9-1 with a 2.45 ERA last year, striking out 66 batters in 68.2 innings.

There is plenty of other offensive potential.

Plymel, the Colquitt County catcher, also was an All-State selection last year after hitting .415 with 10 doubles, three triples and 31 runs batted in.

Holder, the first baseman, hit .349 and drove in 19 runs. Pearson, the second baseman, had five doubles, a triple, three homers and 23 runs batted in.

Duncan, the returning third baseman, also had six home runs, and Jacey Wetherington, the shortstop, hit .356 with four doubles and 16 runs batted in.

Bryan, who plays in the outfield, hit .364 last year.

Hopper hit .359 with four doubles.

Colquitt will travel to the Atlanta area for two tournaments this season.

Region 1-7A will look different this year, with Tift County dropping down to class 6A, Valdosta rejoining and Richmond Hill moving up from 6A to complete the five-team league.

The region schedule will feature each team facing the others in two-day, three-game series.

Colquitt will open region play on Tuesday, Aug. 30, with a home game against Valdosta. Two days later, the Lady Packers will travel to Valdosta for a doubleheader to complete the series.

The Lady Packers will play single games at home and doubleheaders on the road against Camden County and Lowndes.

Colquitt will travel to Richmond Hill for a single game and host the Lady Wildcats in a doubleheader.

The postseason will include Super Regional competition with the eight survivors traveling to Columbus for the state tournament.

Chance Pitts is starting his seventh season as the Lady Packers head coach and has a record of 111-70.

With nine more wins, he will become the school's leader in career victories.

Carman Phillips holds the record with a 119-116-2 record from 2005-2012.

Pitts's staff includes Spenser Richardson, Ryan Davis, Will Stuckey and Rhonda Manley.