Ellabel, GA -- Bryan County’s softball team got the start it wanted but couldn’t sustain the early momentum and wound up dropping a 6-4 decision to Richmond Hill last week at Hendrix Park.

The Redskins (2-1) tagged Lady Cats (2-2) starter Allie Washington for three runs in the first inning but that was it until they scored in the bottom of the seventh.

The game ended with Bryan County having the tying runs on base. For the game the Redskins stranded 11.

“I think this showed that they’re resilient,” first year Richmond Hill Coach Chris Jenkins said of his team’s comeback. “Our two wins have come against really good teams and Allie’s shown when the stakes are biggest she’s at her best. If we play our game, we can have a good season.”

Richmond Hill open Region 2-6A play at 5:30 p.m. August 19 when they go to Statesboro. 

Their game with South Effingham on Tuesday was postponed due to weather.

Last year in their lone meeting—the first in several years between the two schools--Bryan County ace Hayden Joyner outlasted Washington in a 1-0 contest and it appeared a repeat was in order as Joyner sailed through the first two innings.

However, Richmond Hill scored four runs in the third inning with two out and added two in the sixth in support of Washington (2-0) who appeared to get stronger as the game went on.

“This is the best game we’ve had so far,” Washington said. “We’ve come a lot farther than we thought. Coach has been working us hard and we are loving it.”

In addition to her 10-strikeout performance Washington also had a big day at the plate as she had a pair of doubles and drove in three runs. 

Shortstop Brooklyn Meyer was also a big contributor as she drove in two runs with a double and single.

Bryan County was without all-state shortstop McKenzie Mobley and third baseman Pascal Ellison due to COVID issues but Coach Jason Roundtree refused to use that as an excuse for his depleted 12 player team.

“You don’t know who you’ll have or not have,” Roundtree said of the COVID issues that are currently plaguing schools. “We won our first 13 games last year and these kids have to understand they have a bullseye on their back now after what we did. I don’t think they quite understand that yet.”

What the Redskins did last year was go 31-6 and finish third in the GHSA Class A public state playoffs. That has put them in everyone’s sights this year.

“This should give us motivation,” Roundtree said. “Giving up four runs with two outs was a backbreaker.”

Bryan County had its game at Ace Charter in Macon cancelled last Friday and its Region 3 opener at Screven County on Tuesday was postponed due to COVID issues at Screven. The Gamecocks have delayed their first three football games and are not scheduled again in softball until Aug. 25.

Joyner showed why she is one of the top pitchers in the state in Class A as she struck out 14 and allowed eight hits. Now 35-7 for her career the talented junior has 34 strikeouts in 17 innings.

“It happens,” Joyner said of the loss. “We got lackadaisical as a team including me. I made a couple of personal errors and they executed on our mistakes.

“You’ve got to pat them on the back and give them credit. They hung in there and battled."