COVINGTON, Ga. — It was an all-around win for the Eastside Lady Eagles to open the season on Thursday as they came away with a 6-0 victory over the Northgate Lady Vikings.
With both aces on the mound and the bats in full swing, it proved to be more of the same from the reigning Class AAAA runner up against a region-winner from a year ago.
The 2024-25 All-Cov News Softball Most Valuable Player, Eva Davis, began the new season for Eastside with a quick 1-2-3 inning.
This led to the bottom half of the first, where the Eagles jumped all over Northgate and pitcher Ella Coburn.
After a leadoff ground out from Donee Morain, Ansley Hartman and Allie Vaughn reached before Davis grounded to the pitcher for the second out of the frame.
With two runners still on, Savanna Griffin delivered with a two out RBI single up the middle to score Vaughn.
After another RBI from the bat of Kylee Lawrence, Jayah Johnson scored two more on a two-run single to center field.
By the time Avery Jewell popped out for the final out of the inning, the Lady Eagles were up 4-0 in the early going.
Davis maneuvered through the Northgate lineup for two more scoreless innings before the offense provided her some more cushion in the third frame.
After Davis reached base, Griffin delivered once again with a RBI single to add another run.
Before the inning could come to a close, Jewell scored Griffin on an infield single.
Davis continued her strong start on the mound into the fourth inning before she was relieved for Lawrence, who picked up right where she left off.
Lawrence began her season on the mound by striking the side that included a pair of K’s looking.
The Eastside bats failed to score another run for the remainder of the contest, but they did not have to as Lawrence shut down Northgate two more times to close the game out in the top of the seventh.
Key Stats
Davis pitched four innings for Eastside and allowed only two hits while she racked up three strikeouts.
Lawrence went the final three innings and struck out six batters while only allowing a single hit.
With the shutdown pitching on the mound, the Lady Eagles tallied eight hits and three walks in the season opener.
Vaugh and Griffin accounted for two hits apiece while Davis, Lawrence, Johnson and Jewell all came away with knocks.
The approach at the plate appeared to be in Columbus-form as the team only struck out once on Thursday.
What’s next
The Lady Eagles will get the weekend off before diving back into action at home against a former region-foe in the form of the Loganville Red Devils on Tuesday, August 12.
