George powers Northside to second straight region title

Northside softball coach Brandon Jenkins was waiting for his team to put together a complete performance.

The Lady Patriots delivered Friday, beating Columbus 11-0 to win the Region 1-4A championship. The game was stopped after 4 1/2 innings due to the mercy rule.

This was the fourth time Northside beat Columbus in as many tries this season. Northside won the first three times by scores of 4-2, 2-1 and 8-2.

“This was very unexpected. Columbus High is a very good softball team,” Jenkins said of the lopsided score. “Up to this point, we played three really good games against them, so we were not expecting that at all.”

Northside showed off in all three phases of the game. Hannah George pitched a one-hitter, striking out eight. She also hit two of Northside’s season-high four home runs. Jordan Wells and Sidney Mathis also hit homers.

Wells also preserved George’s shutout with a diving catch to end the third inning.

“I told the girls that I felt all year that we pitched well at times, we hit great at times, but we never really put it together,” Jenkins said. “But today, we put it all together. When we do that, we will be a really hard team to beat.”

George, who will play collegiately at North Carolina, has won all four games against Columbus. In 27 innings, she has allowed four runs — two earned — on nine hits with 34 strikeouts.

“She did a good job mixing her speeds,” Jenkins said “She pitched yesterday (8-2 win over Columbus), so she was probably a little tired today. We had a game plan for her to mix her speeds a little more today. She was sharper than she was yesterday. She really focused on hitting her spots.”

George also led the Lady Patriots (25-5) at the plate. She hit a two-run homer in the first and added a three-run shot to the opposite gap in right center field in the second.

“She has struggled at the plate lately,” Jenkins said. “She had been getting hits, but she had not been driving the ball into the gaps. It bothered her a little bit. I told her good hitters hit. You just got to be a little more patient at the plate. … She showed up and did it all today.”

George’s shot in the second followed a two-run single by Wells that had given Northside a 4-0 lead. Mathis added a three-run shot later as Northside scored eight times in the second for a 10-0 lead.

Wells added a solo homer in the third to close out the scoring.

For Northside, this was its second straight region championship. The Lady Patriots will host Hepzibah in the first round of the state playoffs. The best of three series will begin with a doubleheader Wednesday.

Hannah Morales got the only hit for Columbus on Friday, a swinging bunt to lead off the third. As the region runner-up, Columbus (19-11) will also host a first-round series beginning Wednesday. The Lady Blue Devils will host Cross Creek.

This story was originally published October 7, 2016 at 8:10 PM with the headline "George powers Northside to second straight region title."