Prep roundup: Quick beginning

Isaac Pacheco’s cross county coach believes this will be the North Murray senior’s year.

It sure was a good start.

Pacheco finished first in the boys varsity meet at the Pickens Preview Invitational Saturday with a time of 16 minutes, 51 seconds.

Mountaineers coach Matt Chambers said there were 348 runners from 34 schools and Pacheco’s exact time of 16:51.44 narrowly edged a Pickens County runner at 16:51.68.

“He’s a beast,” Chambers said of Pacheco. “This is definitely going to be his year. We’re pretty excited for him.”

Chambers said neither North Murray squad placed. Rounding out the boys 3.1-mile times were Jesus Cruz (19:25), Anthony DeSantiago (20:13), Ismael Cruz (21:14), Chris Joaquin (21:24), Fernando Hernandez (25:11) and Mason Pittman 26:10.

For the girls, Jessenia Gasper (25:53) led the Lady Mountaineers followed by Kerstin Amos (28:55). There were 487 runners for the girls.

North Murray’s and Southeast Whitfield’s coaches did not return calls to report results by The Daily Citizen’s deadline.

Softball

• Northwest (11-1) went 4-1 at the Allatoona Buccaneer Bash this weekend with the only loss coming to an undefeated Lassiter team.

The Lady Bruins started Friday with a 3-0 win against Allatoona and a 7-2 win against Flowery Branch. In the win against the Lady Bucaneers, Emily Boyd pitched a complete game, allowing only one hit and striking out six. Bayli Cruse went 2-for-3 with a solo home run, and Ashley Conner went 1-for-3 with an RBI. In the win against Flowery Branch, Brileigh Baggott threw a complete game, allowed two hits and struck out six. Colbie Thomas went 3-for-3, and Cruse continued her hot day with a 3-for-3 performance, including a grandslam and five RBIs. Conner added an RBI triple.

On Saturday, Northwest started with a 5-1 loss to Lassiter. Boyd threw all six innings, allowed three earned runs off seven hits and struck out six.

“We had one bad inning and gave up five runs in the third,” Lady Bruins coach Jason Brooker said.

Northwest took out frustration in the next game with a 9-1 win against Jackson County. Baggott threw all five innings to get the win, striking out five and allowing three hits. Macy Weeks launched a three-run homer, Hannah Godfrey went 3-for-3 and Mallory Souther and Karlie Henson each went 2-for-3. Northwest finished with an 8-0 in a run-rule victory against Woodland. Boyd pitched a complete game, striking out nine and allowing only two hits. Godfrey finished 2-for-3, Thomas went 3-for-3 with two RBIs and Cruse hit a three-run homer. Weeks went 1-for-3 with a two-run homer.

• Southeast Whitfield lost both its games Saturday in the invitational, 2-1 to Cass and 4-1 to Flowery Branch.

Freshman Sydney Covington pitched both games for the Lady Raiders (3-5), going seven innings in each and striking out two and allowing seven hits on the day. She also scored the lone run against Cass.

Against Flowery Branch, Tavi Parris was 1-for-3 with a double against Flowery Branch. Beverly Warfield was 1-for-2. Chaya Drury was 1-for-3 with an RBI.

“We did well in the field,” Southeast coach Kelley Barton said. “Our defense came together. We just left our bats. We turned, I think, three double plays, so we did well defensively.”

• Coahulla Creek 14, Cartersville 6: The Lady Colts (5-5, 2-1) won a Region 5-3A game shortened to five innings due to the run rule.

LaSha Hedden went 3-for-4 with two triples, four RBIs and two runs scored to lead the Lady Colts. Haley Reece went 2-for-4 with three runs scored, a double and an RBI. Emily Banks went 2-for-4 with a double, two runs scored and two RBIs. Allie Thompson had a two-run double. Kala Franks went 3-for-4 with two doubles, an RBI and two runs scored. Nikki Hollis had an RBI and a run scored and Harley Jackson went 1-for-2 with a run scored.

“We are starting to play better,” Coahulla Creek coach Rhett Parrott said. “We have started to put together much more complete ball games. The region schedule is coming around now, and it is good to be playing a little bit better ball.”

• Christian Heritage won two of five games this weekend at the Crisp County Watermelon Invitational.

On Saturday, the Lady Lions (3-11) started with two losses but rebounded for a win to end the tournament. Christian Heritage lost 14-1 to Toombs County and were led by Micah Kilgore’s 1-for-2 effort at the plate. Rebecca Leonard walked twice and scored the lone Lady Lions run. In the second game, Christian Heritage lose 2-1 to Class 5A school Lee County. Leonard pitched all six innings, striking out 14 and allowing only three hits. She went 1-for-3 with a run scored, and Kilgore went 2-for-3 with an RBI.

“We should’ve won that game,” Lady Lions coach Mike Leonard, Rebecca’s father, said. “Both runs were unearned.”

Christian Heritage won 8-4 against Worth County in the final game. Leonard pitched all six innings and struck out 14 more for 28 on the day. She went 3-for-4 with two runs scored, Regan Benedict went 1-for-4 with two RBIs, Kilgore went 3-for-4 and McKinney went 2-for-3 with two RBIs.

On Friday, the Lady Lions beat Turner County 11-5 behind Leonard’s six innings and 14 strikeouts. She went 2-for-4 with an RBI. Julia McDonald went 1-for-3 with a triple, an RBI and two runs scored. Kilgore went 1-for-3 with an RBI and three runs scored, and Sarah Massengale went 2-for-4 with an RBI and a run scored. In the second game, Christian Heritage lost 18-3 to Crisp County. McDonald went 1-for-1 with a triple and a run scored, and Benedict went 1-for-2 with two RBIs.

“We competed there in three games,” Mike Leonard said. “Two games were blowouts, but we’re getting better.”

• In varsity volleyball, North Murray was scheduled to compete at the Forsyth Challenge, but the Lady Mountaineers’ coach did not report scores by The Daily Citizen’s deadline.

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