COVINGTON, Ga. — For the first time since its 11-2 win at Union Grove on Aug. 5, Eastside got in the win column by splitting Saturday’s doubleheader against Newton and Alcovy. 

Eastside earned a 4-1 win in game one against Alcovy and dropped game two 3-1 versus Newton.

Head coach Heather Wood highlighted her team’s hitting as a common struggle. 

“We’ve got to have better approaches at the plate,” Wood said. “We weren’t as disciplined as we should be, swinging at a lot of balls. We definitely know offensively we got to improve and have better mental approaches at the plate. That’s something we got to work through.” 

Game one’s win was led by Dezaria Johnson and Eva Davis. 

At the plate, Johnson went 2-for-3 with an RBI and Davis added an RBI, too. In the pitcher’s circle, Davis went six innings allowing one hit, zero earned runs, zero walks and had three strikeouts. Johnson came in and closed the game in the seventh allowing one hit, one walk and had one strikeout. 

Donee Morain scored the Lady Eagles’ lone game two run. Morain tripled but, thanks to a Newton error, Morain proceeded to cross home plate. 

Johnson started against Newton, going seven innings allowing three hits and one earned run while striking out eight batters. However, Newton’s two-run sixth inning was too much for Eastside to overcome. 

Despite going 1-1, Johnson said Saturday’s doubleheader “felt good.” 

“It’s always good to play rival teams,” Johnson said. “It didn’t come out the way we wanted it to come out, but I feel like I did my job as the pitcher, we just got to come out stronger at our at-bats.” 

Eastside continues non-region action at Jasper County on Wednesday, but Clarke Central comes to town on Thursday for a region matchup. 

Wood stressed how she wants to see her team come out and battle moving forward.

“We’re really trying to build a competitive spirit right now with the girls, whether it’s region or not,” Wood said. 

“Regardless of who we’re playing, we got to show up and compete and be consistent with that.”