BUFORD -- It's all about pitching in the softball playoffs. And Class AAAA No. 1 Buford just had too much for St. Pius Wednesday in their best-of-three Class AAAA second round series.<br />
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Senior Bria Bush tossed a one-hitter with seven strikeouts in a 11-0, five-inning complete-game win in Game 1 and senior Tessa Daniels and juniors Kennedy Kotula and Emily Crocker combined for a two-hitter with four strikeouts in a 12-0, Game 2 victory in four innings to sweep the series.<br />
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Only three St. Pius runners advanced to second base in the two games combined as Bush, a Tennessee-commit, and Daniels, a Florida State-commit, and the rest of the staff were virtually untouchable.<br />
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"Bria was outstanding and that was the first action for Tessa pitching since the opening weekend but I thought everyone threw the ball well," Buford coach Tony Wolfe said of his star pitchers. "We're blessed to have a very talented team."<br />
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It's the 10th straight trip to Columbus for Buford in now three different classifications. The Lady Wolves are gunning for the eighth consecutive state title.<br />
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Bush fanned the first two St. Pius hitters to start the game and closed out the win with her seventh strikeout to seal the win in the top of the fifth inning.<br />
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In between, the Lady Golden Lions could not solve Samantha Thomas. The sophomore designated hitter had three hits, including a two-run double in the second and a two-run home run in the third to cap the scoring.<br />
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Buford scored three runs in each of the first two innings and Thomas's blast capped a five-run third. Thomas finished with five RBI in the game.<br />
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Baylee Sexton had a two-run triple in the third for Buford.<br />
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In Game 2, the Lady Wolves wasted little time in going for the sweep. Sexton singled with one out and Thomas followed with a two-out, line-drive home run to left for a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first.<br />
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The Lady Wolves exploded in the top of the second. Jordan Deep started things with a two-run single and then two St. Pius errors helped Buford to a 9-0 lead. Sydney Stavro capped the eight-run inning with RBI single for a 10-0 lead.<br />
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Lauren Jones added a two-run double for Buford in the top of the fourth for a 12-0 lead.<br />
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For Thomas, heading to Columbus as a main cog in the machine is exciting.<br />
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"I got to travel (to Columbus) last year but didn't play. I'm just grateful to be able to contribute to the team and get a chance to go to Columbus and play this time," Thomas said. "But everyone played really well today. It was a total team effort."<br />
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Wolfe said they saw a spark from Thomas as a freshman and started her slowly in the No. 7 spot in the lineup at the beginning of the year. Thomas, who now has nine home runs, has been in the cleanup spot for most of the second half of the season.<br />
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"Samantha has had a wonderful year. She was in the seven spot early but it didn't take her long to hit her way into the cleanup spot," Wolfe said. "She has a great eye at the plate and a very powerful swing for her size."<br />
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Buford will have to wait for the rest of the field to be set before the start of the Elite 8 in Columbus beginning next Thursday.<br />
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NOTES: Deep's hit in Game 1 set a new Buford record for most hits in a career. Former Georgia Tech star and former Lady Wolves player Alysha Rudnik held the record at 169. Deep stands at 170 hits so far for her high school career.
