Lake Oconee Academy’s pursuit of reaching the Elite Eight in Columbus for the first time in program history fell two wins short.
After beating No. 4 seed Miller County in the first round, the No. 2 Titans traveled to face Wheeler County on Oct. 20. The No. 1 Bulldogs showcased a strong offensive display, winning the series with scores of 15-1 and 9-1.
“Credit to them because they are probably one of the best, if not the best, teams we played all season. From top to bottom, I didn’t see any holes in their game,” LOA head coach Glynn McDaniel said. “The one constant in this game is that no matter how great a team is, and how hard they may hit the softball, they still have to find holes in our defense and hit it where we ain’t. Wheeler County did just that all day in both games.”
LOA fell behind 9-0 in the first inning of game one, and the Bulldogs scored six more runs in the second inning. The Titans got on the board in the third as Lola Slaughter drove in Kaitlyn Mamay, but it wasn’t even close to enough.
Wheeler County outhit LOA 14-3 in the first game, and much didn’t change in the second contest.
The Titans scored first when Shelby Robinson crossed home after a hit by a pitch with the bases loaded, but that was all LOA managed. The Bulldogs then scored nine runs in the next three innings to win by the run rule.
According to McDaniel, his team didn’t have many “self-inflicted wounds.” He mentioned that Wheeler County’s pitchers had excellent control of their pitches and that the offense simply found gaps in LOA’s defense.
The Titans just couldn’t catch a break against one of the best teams in the state.
“Wheeler County had two great pitchers that threw not only great velocity, but also located their pitches, which is ultimately the most important aspect of pitching, no matter how hard you throw,” McDaniel said. “Their offense was very powerful, their defense was just as solid, and their coaching staff was very professional in their approach. It’s easy to see why they’re having success this season and in past seasons as well.”
LOA finished the season with a 13-15 overall record in McDaniel’s first year. Regardless, he still considers the season a success. The first-year head coach added he was proud of his players, especially his lone senior, Beth Harris.
“While we fell short of our ultimate goal of a region and state championship, these young ladies played their hearts out this season, and our staff saw tremendous growth in them,” McDaniel said. “We will certainly miss our only senior, Beth Harris. She was a model of consistency day-in-and-day-out, so those will be big shoes to fill. But I couldn’t be more excited for the future of this program. The talent we have coming back next year may just be the most talented roster from top to bottom LOA softball has ever fielded.”