Hillgrove Sweeps Newnan in Softball

used a big late-inning rally and a no-hitter Thursday to sweep Newnan and advance to the final eight of the Georgia High School Association AAAAA softball tournament.

The Hawks were rained out Wednesday, and the Region 4-AAAAA champs were sluggish to start Game 1 of Thursday’s doubleheader at home. Newnan charged out to an 8-2 lead, the Newnan Times-Herald reported, but the Hawks scored seven runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to win, 9-8.

Hillgrove left no doubts in Game 2, breaking the game open with three runs in the second inning on the way to a 12-0 victory that clinched the best-of-three series, the Times-Herald said. The Lady Cougars were held without a hit.

The sweep represented revenge for the Hawks, who were knocked out of the state playoffs by Newnan last year, splitting two 5-3 games and losing the decisive third game 10-2, according to Georgia Prep Country.

The Hawks will play either or in the first game of the eight-team, double-elimination championship tournament, which starts Thursday and ends next Saturday in Columbus.

Lassiter and Mill Creek split two games Thursday and were playing Game 3 this afternoon.

Hillgrove will see a lot of familiar faces in Columbus: Two other 4-AAAAA teams, and , also reached the Elite Eight, along with , , and East Coweta.