By allowing ads to appear on this site, you support the local businesses who, in turn, support great journalism.
Smiley notches 100th strikeout as Tide blanks Liberty
Blue Tide logo

With just over two weeks left to go in the regular season, the Long County Lady Blue Tide softball team is still rolling with the possibility of a region championship still on the horizon.

On Monday, September 26, they hosted the Liberty County Panthers for the second time this year and rolled to a 14-0 win in four innings that had senior pitcher Jaci Smiley reach a big milestone early in the game.

Coming into the game, Smiley needed just three strikeouts to reach 100 on the season. She nearly did just that in the first inning as she struck out the first two batters.

Taylor Hodges and Kyleigh Sizemore hit back-to-back inside-the-park home runs to take an early 2-0 lead. Smiley nearly completed a trifecta of home runs, but was thrown out at the plate.

Smiley hit triple digits in the second inning as she struck out the first two Panther batters again. The game was paused as Smiley was presented the game ball from her 100th strikeout.

Delanie Williams got a sacrifice RBI to make the score 3-0 before Hodges, facing two outs, cracked another inside-the-park home run to deep centerfield as the Tide went up 6-0.

The Panthers loaded the bases with one out but Smiley worked her way out of the jam with two more strikeouts, bringing her to eight on the day and 105 on the season.

The bottom of the third was when things got out of hand and the Tide pulled away. Kassie Davis singled before Ciara O’Brien scored her on a single of her own.

Amiyah Simpkins cracked a two-run single to make the score 9-0 while Williams and Sizemore both singled to add two more runs. Smiley tripled to make the score 12-0 and Madelyn Owens’ pinch hit scored Smiley.

O’Brien ended off the scoring with a double.

With the win, the Lady Tide are now 15-4 and 9-1 in the region. They traveled to play Saint Vincent’s on Tuesday, September 27 before going to play Savannah Christian on Thursday, October 6 in a rubber match that will decide the region championship. 

Sign up for our e-newsletters