Bartow County Blue will play Rock Springs at 1 p.m. today on the Chickamauga Recreation Department softball fields for the right to appear in the championship game at 5:30 p.m. A second game could follow that contest if the team from the winner’s bracket were to lose that contest.
Bartow Blue advanced to today’s semifinal matchup with an extra-inning victory Saturday over Bartow White, the county’s second team in the Dizzy Dean state softball tournament.
The two teams were tied at 13-all at the end of the six innings when the Blue — ignited by Johnson’s power display — scored five runs in the top of the seventh. It then held its Bartow County brethren scoreless in the bottom of the frame for its 18-13 victory.
Bartow Blue had advanced to Saturday’s game by doubling up on Boynton, 14-7, on Friday while Bartow White slipped by Jackson County, 9-8. Saturday afternoon Bartow White won a hitting duel with Carroll County, 14-12, as it continued play in the losers bracket. Then Bartow White was eliminated from the tournament by Boynton, 11-5.
Brenton Baggett, assistant director for the Bartow County Recreation Department, said the matchup between the two Bartow teams put a lot of local talent on display.
“The Bartow Blue team is the No. 1 team,” he said, “but there are a lot of girls in that age group who are really good. Both are good teams and we’re proud of both of them for playing so well.”
Leading the offensive fireworks for Bartow White were Hannah Miller, who went 3-of-4 at the plate; Neely Ledford, 3-of-4 with a double; Gracie May, 3-of -4 with a double; and Marlee Shultz, 2-for-3 with a triple.
Showing offensive muscle for the Blue team were Kendyl Hardin, who went 4-of-4; Haley Wells, 4-of-4; Haley Johnson, 2-of-4 with a triple; and Sadye Johnson, 2-of-4 with her inside-the-park home run.
Bartow Blue plays Rock Springs at 1 p.m. on the Chickamauga fields, located at 240 Cove Road.