Dunwoody avoids elimination with 10-7 Game 2 win over Roswell

Dunwoody talks things over in the circle in Game 2 of opening round of GHSA 5A state championship tournament

The 2025 Georgia High School Association softball state championship tournaments began on Monday and in Class 5A, the Dunwoody Wildcats hosted the Roswell Hornets in a best of three opening round series with the Hornets winning Game 1 by a final of 9-2.

Looking to avoid elimination, the Wildcats jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the second inning thanks to a double driven down the third baseline by junior Vivian Curry. After keeping the Hornets from crossing the plate in the bottom of the frame, Dunwoody would add two more runs after a Allie Sleep solo home run and and RBI double by Kristina Conn would give the Wildcats a 4-0 lead.

I the bottom of the second inning, a Dani Boyd sacrifice fly with runners at first and third would allow for the Hornets to get their first run of the game, however the Wildcats would score twice in the top of the third inning and twice in the top of the fourth inning, extending their lead to 8-1.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, momentum would swing in favor of Roswell as a two out grand slam by Livie Henry would help the Hornets close the gap as they trailed 8-5, but in the top of the sixth inning, Dunwoody's Kaz McLaughlin would connect for a solo home run to increase the Wildcats lead to 9-4.

After another Dunwoody run in the top of the seventh inning would give the Wildcats a 10-5 lead, the Hornets would look to rally in the bottom half of the inning after a solo home run by Henry made it a 10-6 game in favor of the Wildcats.

Later in the inning, with bases loaded and no outs for Alana Halverson, Dunwoody's Anslie Worley would get Halverson to fly out to right field, and as Dunwoody's Kensie Eisenstat made the throw home to stop the run from coming in from third base, Roswell's Abigail Stephens would get caught in a rundown between second base and third base which would lead to another Hornets run, however Stephens would eventually be tagged for the second out of the inning.

Worley would then face Faith Sandstrom and get the junior to fly out to center field to end the game and the Wildcats picking up the 10-7 win, forcing a decisive Game 3. "We definitely had to come back and get everything together," Dunwoody head coach, Nikki Mastin, said after Monday's game two win. "We told the girls after the first game that we needed to hit the ball, it's more fun when you hit the ball, we get to run the bases and they came out here and did that," Mastin said of her players responding positively after the loss in Game 1.

Game 3 of the series will take place on Tuesday at Dunwoody at 1pm.