Lassiter softball

East Cobb sports update: Pope softball finishes as state runner-up; Walton, Pope volleyball advance to semifinals

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Pope softball

Two East Cobb teams made it to the Elite 8 of the Georgia High School softball tournament this week, and turned in strong performances. The Pope softball team finished second in Class 6A, while Lassiter was third in Class 7A.

The Greyhounds came out of the elimination bracket to reach the finals in Columbus on Saturday, but fell to Cobb County rival Harrison 6-3.

Pope’s season started in August with a loss to the Hoyas. Along the way the Greyhounds compiled a 33-6 record, a school record for wins, captured their region in undefeated fashion and have now made three championship game appearances since 2012.

Lassiter also won its region and qualified for the Elite 8. On Friday, the Trojans lost to Mill Creek 3-0 in the Class 7A semifinals to end their season. Lassiter’s first loss in the double-elimination tournament was to eventual state champion East Coweta.

Also on Saturday, the Walton volleyball team rolled on in the Class 7A quarterfinals. Playing in their home gym, the Lady Raiders trounced Lambert in a sweep to advance to the semifinals on Tuesday at North Gwinnett.

The finals will be Saturday at Marietta High School.

Walton, the defending state champion, is 40-3 and is heavily favored to continue its dynastic run through the state of Georgia.

Lassiter also reached the state tournament in Class 7A, but fell to West Forsyth Saturday in the quarterfinals. The Trojans were 29-6 this season.

The Pope volleyball team also has reached the semifinals in Class 6A, and will meet Creekview on Tuesday. The Greyhounds are 38-9 on the season and defeated Glynn Academy Saturday to advance.

 

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East Cobb Sports Update: Walton, Wheeler in state volleyball; Pope, Lassiter softball reach Elite 8

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The first round of the Georgia High School Association volleyball tournament begins this weekend, and defending state champion Walton is a heavy favorite to repeat in Class 7A. Walton Volleyball team

The Raiders, who are 36-3 and have been ranked No. 1 in the state all season, will be playing host to a four-team bracket this Saturday. At noon, they will meet Colquitt County, after Wheeler plays North Cobb in a match that begins at 10 a.m.

The winners of those matches will meet on Monday in the second round.

Lassiter (27-5) also has advanced in Class 7A, but has to travel, facing Lowndes in a bracket at East Coweta.

The third round will be played next weekend, and the tournament culminates as usual for Class 7A at Marietta High School on Nov. 3.

The Pope volleyball team (35-9) will be playing Saturday against Cobb rival Harrison in a Class 6A bracket at Apalachee High School in Winder. The 6A finals also are at Marietta.

The GHSA volleyball tournament is single-elimination.

The Pope and Lassiter softball teams once again have reached the “Elite 8” in their respective classes, which is the culminating stage of the state tournament.

Both will be competing in Columbus next week after winning home doubleheaders in the second round this week.

Lassiter (25-7) swept North Paulding 1-0 and 9-1. Pope (29-4) also moved in a sweep, taking both games against Dacula by 6-0 and 6-1 scores.

On Thursday, Pope will play Greenbrier at 11 a.m. in the Class 6A bracket (click here to see more) in a return visit to Columbus. The Greyhounds have reached the Final Four four times since 2012 and were state champions in 2014.

In Class 7A, Lassiter also gets underway on Thursday in a 9 a.m. game against Brookwood (here’s that bracket).

Both tournaments are double-elimination and will conclude on Saturday.

 

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Pope, Lassiter softball to start state tournament play at home

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The Pope softball team, fresh off winning the Region 7AAAAAA tournament last week, gets to stay at home as the Georgia High School Association state tournament begins this week.

The Greyhounds will play host to Creekview, the defending state champion, on Wednesday in a doubleheader at 5 and 7 p.m. in a best-two-of-three series. A decisive game if necessary also would be at Pope at 6 p.m. Thursday.

Here is the Class 6A playoff bracket.

Pope blazed through the region with a perfect 14-0 record and is 23-3 for the season. That’s only the second time the Greyhounds have defeated region opponents without a blemish. The other time was in 2014, when Pope won its only state championship.

Here’s more on their remarkable region run, from the Pope Fastpitch site:

The 2018 undefeated region campaign was marked with 5 no hitters and 10 shutouts over the course of the 14 games. The 2018 Hounds held a 164 run differential over opponents in region games scoring 169 runs while only surrendering 5 runs over the 14 game span.

The Lassiter softball team won Region 4AAAAAAA and also gets to play host to a first-round series against Peachtree Ridge on Wednesday, also in a doubleheader. The Trojans are 21-4 overall and went 13-2 in the region.

Here’s the Class 7A bracket.

 

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Pope softball shuts out Harrison to reach state finals; Lassiter eliminated

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The last home games of the season for the Pope softball team were close, but were clinchers for the Greyhounds as they advanced to the Georgia High School Association finals once again.

Pope defeated Harrison 1-0 and 3-0 in a doubleheader Wednesday afternoon, and will be headed to the GHSA Final Eight next week in Columbus.Pope softball

That’s the fifth time in the last six seasons for the Greyhounds (29-4), who reached the Class 6A semifinals in 2016.

Pope’s first game in the double-elimination round will be next Thursday morning at 11 against Evans High School of Augusta.

Another East Cobb team playing in the Class 7A state tournament was eliminated Wednesday. Lassiter lost a doubleheader on the road to Lowndes by 2-0 and 4-3 scores. The Lady Trojans finished with a 22-10 record.

Freshman pitcher Hallie Adams won both games for Pope, getting the game-winning run in the first game from Bailey Chapin, another freshman. Adams followed her one-hitter in the nightcap with a little more run support, as Chapin, senior Hannah Rogers and Leah Higgs drove in the runs for the Greyhounds to book another trip to Columbus.

Grace Kittrell was 2-for-4 at the plate for Pope.

In the Class 6A finals, another Cobb County team, Allatoona, also will be competing. But the biggest obstacle for Pope, should the Greyhounds advance, may be a team in their own region. Pope recently defeated Cambridge High School of North Fulton to win the Region 7-AAAAAA title.

However, Cambridge returns to Columbus as the defending state champion. Should Cambridge and Pope continue to advance, they could meet for the state championship as well.