Buford splits Saturday at Harris County Invitational, rebounds with 19-4 win

COLUMBUS, Ga. — Buford softball experienced both ends of tournament play Saturday, suffering its first loss against Harris County before responding with a 19-run offensive outburst against Fayette County at the Harris County Invitational.

The Wolves opened the day with a 4-1 loss to Harris County, ranked No. 3 in Class 5A, at the South Commons Softball Complex. Buford then rebounded hours later with a 19-4, four-inning victory over Fayette County.

Harris County 4, Buford 1

Junior Taylor Jackson made her seventh start of the season in the circle as Buford faced tournament host Harris County.

The Tigers took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning after a walk and a pair of hits. Harris County added two more runs in the third, taking advantage of a Buford error and additional baserunners to extend the lead to 4-0.

Senior Kennedy Townsend relieved Jackson in the third inning and kept Harris County off the scoreboard the rest of the way.

Buford collected seven hits — one more than Harris County — but struggled to turn those opportunities into runs against Tigers pitcher Chloe Wolfenbarger, a Florida Gulf Coast University commit.

With Buford trailing 4-0 in the fifth inning and the tournament time limit approaching, sophomore Mackenzie Fritsch provided the Wolves’ lone run with the first varsity home run of her career.

Senior Janie Goldin followed with an infield single, but Wolfenbarger retired the next three batters to end the threat and secure the 4-1 victory.

Fritsch finished 1-for-2 with the solo home run. Goldin went 2-for-3, while senior Ella Pierce Hensley added a double.

Jackson allowed four runs, three earned, on three hits over two innings and struck out two. She took her first loss of the season, falling to 4-1.

Buford 19, Fayette County 4

The Wolves did not allow the loss to linger.

Fayette County, ranked No. 1 in Region 4-4A, scored twice in the first inning of the second game, but Buford answered immediately with eight runs in the bottom half.

Pierce Hensley, Olivia Nagel, Goldin and Brooklyn Atha contributed run-producing hits as the Wolves quickly erased the early deficit.

Buford added four runs in the second inning. Sophomore Lydia Hamrick doubled home a run before junior Taylor Sawyer launched a two-run home run to left field, her fifth of the season.

The offensive surge continued in the third.

Sawyer added a two-run double, Nagel drove in two runs with a single and Kami Vendola delivered an RBI single with the bases loaded as Buford pushed the game beyond the run-rule margin.

Sawyer led the offense, finishing 2-for-2 with a home run, double, walk, four RBIs, three runs scored and a stolen base.

Nagel went 3-for-3 with a double, two RBIs and three runs scored. Pierce Hensley finished 2-for-2 with a double, walk, two RBIs, three runs and a stolen base.

Hamrick added an RBI double and scored twice.

Buford finished with 12 hits, drew eight walks and stole seven bases.

Freshman Carsyn Hunter earned the victory to improve to 4-0. She allowed four runs, three earned, on seven hits over three innings while striking out one and issuing no walks.

The victory gave Buford an emphatic response after its first setback of the season and a split of its two Saturday games at the Harris County Invitational.