Just a week ago when Newton and Rockdale met on the softball field at Newton it took the all the Lady Rams had and then some to mount a comeback in the bottom of the seventh that saw Newton score five runs to beat the Lady Bulldogs 13-12. This time the Lady Rams scored eight runs in the second inning alone leading to an 18-1 mercy-rule victory over Rockdale.

Ciara Bryan started the game off with an infield homerun with a shot to deep right that hit the ground and bounced to the gate. The Lady Rams were retired in order after the homer.

Rockdale started the inning by hitting into two groundouts back-to-back, but a walk, a steal and a hit scored a Lady Bulldog run to tie the game at 1-1 heading into the second inning.

The Lady Rams’ offense went bonkers in the second inning. With the bases loaded, Tatyana Wimby hit a two-RBI single that dropped in left field to leave runners on first and second. The Lady Bulldogs forced Newton into two straight outs beginning with the ninth batter and ending with Bryan at leadoff.

Hitting with two outs wasn’t a problem for Newton. Junior Markayla Price walked to load the bases and Katy Ammons hit a two-RBI double to score the third and fourth runs of the inning, leaving two runners in scoring position for Newton.

Ashley Weesner hit a single to score another run and Ashton McKinnon was walked to load the bases. A passed ball scored Ammons and a Britney Ellis single scored another two runs to give Newton a 9-1 lead.

Newton was able to get three of four out for Rockdale leaving a runner stranded to ened the inning maintaining the Lady Rams’ commanding lead.

Neither team was able to get anything going in the third inning and Newton needed just five runs to get the mercy-rule victory as the top of the fourth inning began.

The Lady Rams got the five runs and some. They batted around and scored nine runs to beat Rockdale 18-1. Newton will play Rockdale against Saturday afternoon at 12:00 p.m. at Alcovy in the Region 2-AAAAAA tournament.