COVINGTON, Ga. — The Eastside Lady Eagles advanced through the second round and onto the Elite Eight with a two-game sweep of Perry High School, as it outscored the Lady Panthers 13-2 in the 13 combined innings of play. 

After defeating Jones County in the first round of the Class AAAA playoffs at home, the Lady Eagles were set up with the Lady Panthers, who entered the series with a 19-10 record after sweeping North Springs in the Sweet 16.

In both games, Eva Davis and Kylee Lawrence combined for 17 strikeouts, six base hits and three walks on the mound.

Davis owned game one for the Eagles, as she hit a two-run home run and pitched a complete game shutout of the Lady Panthers. The junior struck out four batters and recorded a walk and a pair of RBIs at the plate.

The Lady Eagles struck in the first inning with Davis’ two-run homer, bringing in Donee Morain. Davis and Morain were the first of six Eastside players to record a hit in game one. Joining them were Allie Vaughn and Lawrence, each with two hits, and Savanna Griffin and Kaela Lay, who recorded one hit apiece.

Eastside doubled its lead in the fourth and doubled it again in the sixth to force mercy rule and a walk-off for game one. The eight hits and a walk from the Lady Eagles proved to be too much for the Lady Panthers to handle.

Game two was much closer.

The Lady Eagles did not walk off, but won by a final score of 5-2 as Lawrence’s 13 strikeouts and seven complete innings pitched led the way.

Eastside jumped ahead in the first inning once again to hold a 3-0 lead until the bottom of the third, when the Lady Panthers got their first run of the day on the scoreboard.

The Eagles immediately bounced back, with two runs in the top of the fourth to hold on for the win. Eastside conceded only one more run, which was found in the do-or-die bottom of the seventh.

In game two, there were eight players to record a base hit for the Lady Eagles. Griffin and Lay both had two hits each. Morain, Vaughn, Anslee Saunchegraw, Avery Jewell, Ansley Hartman and Emilie Jernigan all managed to get on base with a hit.

Next up for the Eagles is the Elite Eight, which will take place down in Columbus, where the Lady Eagles found themselves last year.. As of now, the Eagles' next opponent is undetermined, as Central High School and Allatoona High School split games and will need to play a deciding game three.

Tuesday’s wins bring Eastside’s season record to 25-2 as it finished with a 15-1 record when playing at home.