Lady Royals Advance to Sweet 16 | HS Sports

Wednesday, Bleckley opened the state playoffs at home versus Thomasville.  Two years ago, the Lady Royals easily swept a pair from the Lady Bulldogs en route to their first sweet 16 appearance.  In game one, Allie Keel had three RBI as part of a 4 for 4 day in a 7-0 win.  Joanna Knight was 4 for 5 with an RBI double. Taylor Little went 3 for 3. Lindsey Dabbs was 2 for 3 with a double and a sacrifice bunt.

Thomasville jumped out to an early 3-0 lead in game two.  BCHS batted a round in the second, scoring five times.  A 10-3 lead in the fifth was reduced to 10-7 thanks to four Lady Bulldog runs.  Leading 11-7 in the seventh, an 11-run outburst put the game away as Bleckley advanced to the Sweet 16 for the third straight year 22-7.

Knight was 4 for 6 with a double and 4 RBI.  Little went 4 for 6 with a double and 2 RBI.  Leslie Holland was 4 for 5 with 2 RBI.  Nicole Tomlinson was 3 for 5.  Emmie Meadows was 3 for 6 with a two-run double and 3 RBI.

Keel was 3 for 6 with an RBI double.  Lindsey Dabbs was 3 for 6 with 1 RBI.  Elizabeth Mathis finished 2 for 5 with 1 RBI.  The win puts Bleckley into the sweet 16 for the third straight year.  Head Coach Janice Bryan attributes their success to getting hot at the right time and doing the little things right.

 "We're getting good pitching, timely hitting, and playing good defense," Bryan said.

Bleckley will play at Harlem High School October 17 in the second round of state.  Game times are 5 and 7 pm.