The Eastside softball team won for the first time in three games Thursday but still left a little to be desired by Eagles' coach Jason Stokes.

Eastside defeated Monroe Area 3-2, picking up the one-run victory over a 7-10 team (1-2 8-AAAA) after losing a dramatic game the day before. Eastside's victory came after a one-run, 1-2 eight-inning loss to Alcovy, which boasts a much better team than the Hurricanes, sitting at 10-2-1 and a member of the state's highest classification.

"We played 10 times better against Alcovy than against Monroe," Stokes said. "They were lackadaisical, just real flat with no enthusiasm whatsoever."

The Eagles fell behind 2-0 in the first inning, before scoring a run in the second and tying it in the third.

Following the opening inning the Eagles (8-4, 2-1) played like the better team defensively but couldn't get their bats going.

"Reese Rogers started pitching better," Stokes said. "She went three up and three down in the second, third, fourth and fifth inning."

Rogers finished with six strikeouts, one walk, seven hits and one earned run in seven innings. She pulled out the win thanks to timely hitting from a lineup that struggled throughout the game.

In the second inning, Victoria Reich reached on a single, stole second base and then scored from second. Taz Powell beat out a bunt, moving Reich to second, but as the Monroe Area infielder went to first the throw went to high and Reich scored.

Eastside tied it up in the third inning after Caitlyn Ray hit a double, and moved to third on Bailey Stewart's single. Kristen Hilley's hit drove Ray home.

Hilley and Ray teamed up for another run in the fifth inning, this time putting Eastside ahead.

Ray drew a leadoff walk in the top of the fifth, and Stewart hit into a fielder's choice to push Ray to second. Hilley's double then scored Ray for the go-ahead run.
Hilley went 2 for 3 with a double and two RBI, Jordan Hiltey hit a triple, and Stewart and Ray had one hit each.

With a busy week upcoming, featuring games on Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday and Friday, Stokes has given the girls a couple days off hoping to reinvigorate them. Eastside's first game of the week comes at home against another team with a sub-par record in Chestatee (3-9, 0-2) on Tuesday.

"I'm hoping it was just one of those games where they played down to competition, not coming ready to play," Stokes said. "I gave them some days off hoping to refresh them."