BUFORD — The Buford Wolves advanced to the next round of the Class 7A state playoffs Monday with a two-game sweep of Grovetown, winning 9-0 in Game 1 and 10-0 in Game 2 at the Buford Softball Complex.
Senior Caroline Stanton set the tone in the opener, striking out 12 and allowing just one hit in five innings while homering as Buford rolled to a 9-0 run-rule victory. Stanton carried a no-hit bid into the sixth inning and earned her 11th win of the season.
Buford jumped on Grovetown early in Game 1. A sacrifice fly by senior Summer Castorri and an errant throw on a steal attempt produced two first-inning runs. The Wolves added single runs in the second and third innings, then broke the game open with a five-run fourth. Sophomore LG Goldin drew a leadoff walk and stole second and third; junior Janie Goldin followed with a run-scoring grounder, and junior Brooklyn Atha delivered a two-run single. Stanton capped the inning with her seventh home run of the season to trigger the run rule.
Game 1 — Buford 9, Grovetown 0
Winning pitcher: Caroline Stanton (11-0) — 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 1 BB, 12 K
Offensive leaders: Brooklyn Atha (2-for-3, 2 RBIs, 2 SB); Janie Goldin (2-for-2, RBI, 3 SB); Caroline Stanton (1-for-3, HR, 2 RBIs); Addie Rackley (2-for-3, double, 2 runs)
Senior Addie Rackley delivered a storybook senior night in Game 2, throwing a one-hit shutout with 12 strikeouts and contributing three hits and a two-run homer at the plate. Rackley’s long ball — her 15th of the season — came in the sixth inning and helped push the Wolves to a 10-0 victory.
Rackley and Castorri opened Game 2 with consecutive doubles in the first inning. A sacrifice fly by LG Goldin and an infield RBI single by sophomore Lydia Hamrick pushed across two more runs in the third. Rackley’s two-run homer in the sixth made it 7-0, and Buford added three insurance runs in the seventh — including a double by senior Kadyn Gabrels and RBI singles from Hamrick and Castorri — to finish the scoring.
Game 2 — Buford 10, Grovetown 0
Winning pitcher: Addie Rackley (13-0) — 7 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 2 BB, 12 K
Offensive leaders: Addie Rackley (3-for-5, double, HR, 3 RBIs); Lydia Hamrick (3-for-4, 2 RBIs); Summer Castorri (2-for-5, double, 2 RBIs); Janie Goldin (2-for-3, double, 1 run, SB)
Across the two games, Buford combined overpowering pitching, timely hitting and aggressive baserunning while playing error-free defense. The sweep was a fitting sendoff for the Wolves’ four seniors — Addie Rackley, Caroline Stanton, Summer Castorri and Kadyn Gabrels — who led the way in their final home appearances and set the tone for another deep postseason run.
