Wolves manage come-from-behind win in first region softball game

• AUGUST 25, 2023 | BY STAFF REPORTS

In the first region game of the season, the Buford High School softball team improved its record to 8-0, 1-0 in region play, with a come-from-behind 4-3 win against Mountain View on Thursday.

Game summary courtesy of BHS softball 

“Mountain View opened the contest with a walk and a single up the middle to put runners on the corners with 0 outs. After an hour rain delay, the Bears took an early 1-0 lead with double steals at 1st and 3rd. Buford Sophomore pitcher Caroline Stanton struck out the side to end the threat. In the 3rd inning, the Wolves took the lead on Mackenzie PIckens’ 8th HR of the season, a 2-run shot that drove in her sister Madison Pickens. In the 5th inning, the PIckens’ padded the Buford lead, with back-to-back solo HR’s to make the score 4-1. Meanwhile … Stanton was dealing in the circle, striking out the side of Mountain View batters in the 1st, 2nd, and 4th innings. Mountain View did not go down quietly however. Back-to-back bunt singles in the top of the 7th inning, together with 2 Buford throwing errors, allowed the Bears to score 2 runs, with the tying run on 2nd base and no outs. Stanton buckled down and coaxed a comeback grounder for an out, struck out her 16th batter, and ended the game with a groundout to third base.”

Standout playmakers for the Wolves 

• Senior Mackenzie Pickens went 2-for-3, hitting up her eighth and ninth home runs of the season with a two-run home run in the third inning and a solo home run in the fifth; she also had three RBIs and two runs  scored
• Senior Madison Pickens went 1-for-2 with a home run, her sixth of the season, an RBI and two runs scored
• Senior Tavye Borders went 1-for-2 with a walk
• Sophomore Addison Rackley went 1-for-2 with a walk

Next up for the Wolves is a region away game at 6 p.m. Tuesday, Aug. 29, against Mill Creek. MaxPreps lists Mill Creek as 3-5 overall on the season going into Tuesday’s game.

FEATURED PHOTO: The Buford High School softball team prepares for a matchup against Mountain View on Aug. 24, 2023, at the Buford Softball Complex. Photo by Jody Jenkins. 

Pickens sisters fuel Buford softball victory

• From Staff Reports     Aug 21, 2023

MILTON — Twin sisters Mackenzie and Madison Pickens hit back-to-back home runs and combined to go 6-for-8 Monday in Buford’s 9-0 win at Cambridge in fastpitch softball.

The sisters each went 3-for-4 — Mackenzie had a solo home run (her seventh of the season), two doubles, three RBIs and a stolen base and Madison had a two-run homer (her fifth of the season), a double, four RBIs, three runs and a stolen base.

They were backed up by Izzy Rettiger (3-for-3, double, three runs, two stolen bases) and Addie Rackley (2-for-3, double).

Caroline Stanton (3-0) struck out six in three perfect innings for the win, and Emma Grace Williams pitched the final three innings, allowing one hit and striking out two.

The Wolves are 7-0 on the season.