Hannah Fitzgerald's three hits and two runs batted in led Richmond Hill to a 4-1 win over Dalton tonight in game 2 of their best-of-3 series in the Class AAAAA state softball tournament.

Adriana Garrett also had three hits and Morgan Hunter went the distance in the pitcher’s circle as the Lady Wildcats (26-7) bounced back from a 5-2 loss in game 1 of the doubleheader.

The decisive third game will be tomorrow at 2 p.m. at RHHS. The winner will advance to the Elite Eight in Columbus.

Alli Swinford hit a home run and pitched a complete game for Dalton in game 1. Brooke Belflower also homered – a two-run shot in the fifth inning – as the Lady Catamounts (22-11) snapped Richmond Hill’s 12-game winning streak.

RHHS took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first, but Swinford held the Lady Wildcats to one hit over the final six innings. Swinford’s home run to lead off the top of the sixth put Dalton up 4-2.

Garrett led off the bottom of the first with a double and scored on Fitzgerald’s single up the middle. Cheznie Shuman, running for Fitzgerald, scored on a wild pitch later in the inning to extend Richmond Hill’s lead to 2-0.

Sammi Mault pitched a perfect game through four innings but ran into trouble in the fifth. Dalton’s Olivia Whaley led off with a single and Belflower followed with a home run to straightaway center field to even the score.

The Lady Catamounts scored the tie-breaking run later in the inning. A third strike to Gabby Wright bounced to the backstop, allowing Lauren Parker to run home from third base.