Tuesday saw

two titans in 4-AAA softball meet in a highly anticipated

contest. The Starr's Mill Panthers hosted the Sandy Creek

Patriots in what could be the championship matchup in

this weekend's AAA area tournament. Both teams wanted to

send a message to their opponents in what quickl became

an incredible county rivalry. Sandy Creek edged out

Starr's Mill by a score of 2-1 and the message was sent.

The

Panthers scored first in the bottom of the first when

senior Jamie Vining singled, stole second and then

scored. The game would then remain scoreless until the

fifth inning. With runners on second and third, Jessica

DeMooney hit a two run double that gave the Patriots the

lead and also the win. Pitcher Tika Hayes pitched a

complete game for Sandy Creek and recorded five

strikeouts, and Chrissy Lunsford also had two hits in the

game.

"Tika

struggled early, but she was on fire at the end,"

said Patriots Coach Tonya Carlisle. "I saw something

in her that I haven't seen all season."

Now, it

will all come down to this weekend's tournament, to be

held at Meade Field in Peachtree City. Starr's Mill is

the favorite, having a 3-1 advantage over Woodward and

Starr's Mill this season, but all three teams are close.

How close? Sandy Creek played Woodward Academy yesterday,

after the paper went to press. If they won they tie

Starr's Mill for first, if they lose they are in second,

slightly ahead of Woodward Academy.

Starr's

Mill has played consistently well after starting the

season poorly. They had won 13 games in a row until the

loss to Sandy Creek. They have experienced players, an

almost all senior infield, and some power hitters. Sandy

Creek has been explosive of late. The team made some much

needed adjustments to their offense and it worked. In

last week's three games against Creekside, Banneker, and

Cedar Grove, they outscored their opponents 49-6.

The area

tournament will begin today at 5 p.m. at Meade Field. The

tentative schedule is for Starr's Mill to open with a

game against Creekside and for Sandy Creek to open with a

game against Woodward Academy, their opponents yesterday.