The Ware County Junior Varsity Lady Gators hosted the Long County Blue Tide on Wednesday, October 1, 2025, at Gator Field, but a tough first inning proved too much to overcome as Long County came away with an 11-2 victory.
The Blue Tide jumped out early with 10 runs in the opening frame, capitalizing on timely hits and defensive miscues. Highlights from the inning included a double by Lana Lewis, a two-run triple from Hollie Filkins, RBI hits from Ally Bush and Kinslee Harold, and several runs scored on errors. Long County tacked on an insurance run in the second when Filkins tagged up and scored on a sacrifice.
Despite the early deficit, the Lady Gators showed fight and got solid performances on both sides of the ball. Laney Spradley came on in relief and was sharp, throwing three scoreless innings while allowing just two hits, striking out two, and walking one. Starter Maggie McQuaig battled through two innings, giving up four hits and 11 runs - all unearned - while striking out one and walking two.
At the plate, the Lady Gators were led by Emily Palm, who went a perfect 2-for-2 with an RBI. McQuaig also contributed two hits, while Lauren Belle added spark on the basepaths with two stolen bases.
For Long County, Filkins delivered two RBIs to lead the offense, while Harold collected two hits in four at-bats. Jordan Marchand swiped two stolen bases, and the Blue Tide defense turned a double play to help secure the win.
The Lady Gators JV will look to bounce back in their next outing as they continue to gain valuable experience and grow as a team.
Go Lady Gators!
