SPRINGFIELD, Ga. — Effingham County combined a powerful offensive attack with dominant pitching to sweep visiting Midtown in a doubleheader Wednesday, advancing to the second round of the Class 6A state softball playoffs.
The Rebels (17-12) rolled to a 12-0 victory in the opener and followed with an 11-1 win in the nightcap to take the best-of-three series two games to none.
The sweep sets up a second-round rematch with Loganville next Wednesday in Loganville. The Red Devils rallied for a dramatic victory to end Effingham County’s season in Columbus last year.
ECHS opened the 2026 season by losing seven of its first 11 games but has rebounded to win 13 of its last 18 since Sept. 3.
“We got off to a rocky start in the beginning of the season, but as a team we’re doing good now,” senior pitcher Ava Wiley said.
Offense comes alive
Ranked No. 12 in the postseason rankings, Effingham County collected 26 hits, including 11 for extra bases, while Wiley and freshman Laila Boyd delivered overpowering performances in the circle.
Midtown High may be the name of a fictional high school in Marvel Comics, but the Rebels put on a superpowered performance of their own Wednesday.
Riley Bracken went 6-for-7 with six RBIs across the doubleheader. Jenny Parker had four hits in six at-bats, while Mady Reagan finished with three hits and four RBIs in seven at-bats. Cheyenne Hart collected three hits in the opener, and Boyd had three hits and drove in three runs in the nightcap.
Dominant in the circle
Wiley threw a four-inning no-hitter in the opener, while Boyd struck out 11 batters over six innings in the second game.
The Rebels wasted little time taking control. Two batters into the first inning of the opener, Parker doubled home Hart, who had led off with a single.
In the nightcap, Boyd doubled home a run as the fourth batter of the game to give Effingham County another early lead.
Midtown (19-10) stayed within striking distance in the second game, but the Rebels broke open a 4-1 lead with a seven-run sixth inning.
Reagan’s triple, followed by doubles from Boyd and Bracken, drove in the final four runs of the game.
“We adjusted to a slower speed (of pitching), and it didn’t take us too long to get going,” Rebels coach Brad Thompson said. “We did some damage with some extra-base hits, and that makes it easier to get runners around the bases. That’s something we’ve lacked all year.”
Pitching sets the tone
Thompson also praised his pitchers for combining to issue no walks across the doubleheader.
“That’s a pretty good one-two punch for the playoffs,” he said. “Ava was outstanding today. When she hits her spots and throws strikes, she’s tough to deal with. And I don’t know what to say about Laila. As a freshman, she’s been outstanding. She can be as good as she wants to be.”
