SPRINGFIELD, Ga. – Effingham County’s softball team is heading back to Columbus for the fourth consecutive year after a dramatic win over Seckinger.

Senior Shelby Zeigler broke a 5-5 tie with a two-out, sixth-inning single. She also ended the game defensively, catching a line drive at third base and tagging out Milan Torres for a game-ending double play.

“I knew something had to be done by somebody. I just had to do it,” Zeigler said. “We knew this game was going to go back and forth, but we thought we’d win because we had the better team. It was a great feeling, especially since it’s my last game on this field.”

Momentum swings back and forth

In the decisive third game, Seckinger jumped to a 2-0 lead in the first inning, but ECHS responded with three runs. They added a run in the second and extended the lead to 5-2 in the fifth on Mady Reagan’s RBI single.

The Jaguars (19-11) rallied in the sixth inning, driving in two runs. Shortstop Cheyenne Hart’s relay throw cut down McKenzie Prince at the plate, preserving the lead.

“When (Prince) slid, her legs were off the ground and I tagged her on the shoulder before she touched the plate,” catcher Gracie LaFleur said. “She was definitely out. I was just hoping the umpire saw that.”

In the bottom of the sixth, LaFleur doubled, setting the stage for Zeigler’s clutch hit. Seckinger had one last chance in the seventh, but Zeigler made a game-ending play to seal the victory.

Looking ahead to Columbus

“I couldn’t be more proud of this group,” Thompson said. “We replaced a whole infield. We needed innings from Ava (Wiley, pitcher) to complement Ansleigh (Giordano), and we got it. We had good players who did more than expected — and that’s the definition of Rebel pride.”