The Lady Braves 2019 pitching staff (L-R): sophomore Brianna Hill, senior Katelyn Jiles, and senior Caroline Jones

(Franklin, GA) — The Lady Braves continued a stellar first half of the season in Franklin Wednesday where they knocked off Class AAAAAAA No. 10 ranked Newnan 4-3 behind a young pitcher’s first career win and a power surge from junior Beth Taylor.

Taylor’s two home runs and three RBI’s propelled the offense, while sophomore Brianna Hill’s solid long relief work on the mound kept the Cougars’ potent offense at bay.

Senior Katelyn Jiles started the game but was on a low pitch count to save her arm for today’s huge Region 5-AA match-up at Lamar County.

Hill came on in relief and was able to keep the Newnan lineup off balance as she worked a total of 4 and 2/3 innings. She scattered five hits and walked two while allowing just one earned run to record the milestone first varsity win.

Caroline Jones also appeared in the game as Coach Matt Hornsby used all three to earn the team’s win over Newnan since 2015. Each pitcher allowed just a single earned run.

The Lady Braves (8-2, 2-0) now own wins over three top ranked teams from the state’s two highest classifications and after being unranked by Score Atlanta last week have now moved up to a No. 2 state ranking in Class AA sitting only behind Banks County from Region 8-AA.

Taylor was the only Lady Brave with multiple hits while Mackenzie White, Tori Caldwell, and Abigail Lathrop each singled.

Junior Lady Brave Beth Taylor

Coach Hornsby was pleased with the effort of his hurlers.

“We knew coming in they could swing it and we were able to somehow even if it was just a one-time deal able to keep them in the park for the most part and got a lot of balls off the end of their bats,” said Hornsby after the game.

“Our plan coming in was that Katelyn would throw no more than 30 pitches and she got out of here throwing 27 which is like her normal bullpen session the day before a regular start. Even with our two senior pitchers our plan all season has been that no matter if Katelyn or Caroline is starting we like to bring Brianna in as the first reliever for that change-up in velocity that can really throw hitters off on their timing.”

Hornsby says Beth Taylor’s last at bat was crucial to the victory.

“We just had talked about needing a run in the bottom of the sixth and Beth came through for us huge with her second home run of the game when we really needed it,” he said.

Next on the schedule, the Lady Braves face the two most difficult Region 5-AA road games of the season. After traveling to Barnesville today to meet Lamar County (5:30 PM), the girls will travel next Thursday to take on the No. 7 ranked Bremen Blue Devils.