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Effingham sweeps Ware County
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Effingham County’s softball team swept Ware County 5-0 and 2-1 on Saturday to improve to 8-2 on the season and 2-1 in Region 3-AAAA.

Shelby Duff picked up her fourth and fifth wins.

In the opening game, Duff went four innings and allowed only two hits, while striking out three batters.
Sophomore Emily Waltz came in to do the rest, pitching three innings for the save. Waltz proved that she, too, is a pitcher to be reckoned with. She struck out four and allowed only a walk.

Ware County’s Kalie Richardson pitched well for the first three innings, shutting Effingham out, but the wheels came off in the next two innings.

Duff led off the fourth inning with a single and moved to second on Marie Fogle’s sacrifice bunt to third base. Duff advanced to third off a passed ball and scored off an error.

In the fifth inning, the Lady Rebels poured it on, scoring four runs with two outs.

With one out, Kristian Page hit a single and later stole second. Then with two outs, Kayla Calhoun scored Page with a single to left-center field. Errors and passed balls allowed Calhoun, Duff and Fogle to score.

The second game was a nailbiter. Effingham scored two in the first.

With one out, Duff and Fogle hit back-to-back singles to center field to put runners on the corners. Duff later scored off a throw and Fogle came in off Whitney Smith’s double to left-center field.

Ware County scored its sole run in the fourth inning when Sarah Clifton sprinted home on a grounder to Duff.

In the circle, Duff pitched a complete game, allowing five hits and a walk. She struck out six Lady Gator batters.

The Lady Rebels continue region play today, hosting Brunswick at 6:30 p.m.