Columbus Bound: Heritage Punches Their Ticket to the Elite Eight

RINGGOLD - The Heritage Generals softball team punched their ticket to Columbus by capturing the championship crown of the 2023 Heritage Super Regional. The Generals took down East Forsyth, 7-0, in the winner’s bracket final before toppling the Broncos, 5-0, in the championship game.

Heritage is Columbus bound for the sixth consecutive season and 11th time overall after outsourcing opponents 32-2 in three games. The Generals improved their record to 24-2-1 overall with the Thursday night sweep of East Forsyth.

GAME ONE RECAP

Heritage used a massive third inning to jump ahead of East Forsyth in game one. The Generals brought ten batters to the plate and struck for five runs on four hits (all singles) in the frame. Jenna Ryans capped off the big inning with a hard-hit two-run single to stretch Heritage’s lead to 5-0.

Ryans would strike again in the fifth with a two-run triple to put a bow on a four-RBI day. The four RBI are a career-high for Ryans and the most in a game since Oct. 18, 2022, against Westminster.

Addie Edwards opened her postseason by adding to her career-high total of six complete-game shutouts. The right-hander scattered three hits across seven innings and struck out 13. Her 182 strikeouts this season are the fourth-most in a single season in school history, passing Marissa Patterson’s 178 punchouts in 2010.

EFHS 0, HHS 7

SCORING PLAYS

B3 | EFHS 0, HHS 1 | Bailee Hollis reached on an error. Bree Wilson scored.

B3 | EFHS 0, HHS 2 | Harper Carstens singled to right field. Brylee Pritchett scored.

B3 | EFHS 0, HHS 3 | Bailee Hollis scored on a wild pitch.

B3 | EFHS 0, HHS 5 | Jenna Ryans singled up the middle. Harper Carstens and Macie Collins scored.

B5 | EFHS 0, HHS 7 | Jenna Ryans tripled to left field. Macie Collins and Ella Blansit scored.

GAME TWO RECAP

The Generals drew first blood in the bottom of the second when Abbie Young tripled down the left field line to begin the frame. Landry White walloped a triple to plate the game’s first run and came around to score on a single from Brylee Pritchett.

Young and White each recorded an RBI to ignite a three-run fifth inning that extended Heritage’s lead to 5-0. Pinch runner Electra Bowling replaced Young on the base paths and scored on a wild pitch to cap off the three-run frame.

Addie Edwards notched her second complete-game shutout of the day, blanking the Broncos across 14.0 innings on Thursday. Edwards tossed seven innings of shutout softball in game two and struck out 13 while allowing just three hits.

EFHS 0, HHS 2

SCORING PLAYS

B2 | EFHS 0, HHS 1 | Landry White tripled to right-center field. Electra Bowling scored.

B2 | EFHS 0, HHS 2 | Brylee Pritchett singled up the middle. Landry White scored.

B5 | EFHS 0, HHS 3 | Abbie Young reached on an infield single. Clara Beth Elsenrath scored.

B5 | EFHS 0, HHS 4 | Landry White grounded out to second base. Jenna Ryans scored.

B5 | EFHS 0, HHS 5 | Electra Bowling scored on a wild pitch.

UP NEXT

After capturing its second Super Regional championship in as many years, Heritage (23-2-1, 14-1 7-AAAA) will make the trek to Columbus for the Elite Eight. The Generals will open Elite Eight play at 1:00 p.m. on Wednesday, Oct. 25.