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The Upson-Lee Lady Knights softball team is already just one victory away from matching last season’s total. In 2011 the Lady Knights finished with a 4-22 record, and in 2012 the Lady Knights have accumulated three victories in their first weekend on the young season.

Upson-Lee opened their season Thursday with a game against Lamar County in Barnesville. Last season Upson-Lee lost 6-15 and 2-9 to the Lady Knights, but on Thursday the Lady Knights jumped on the Lady Trojans early and held on for the 6-4 victory.

Upson-Lee’s Kaylee Ellington took the mound for the Lady Knights, and the sophomore pitched well, pitching nearly six strong innings while striking out two batters and walking only one.

In the second inning the Lady Knights took a 3-0 lead thanks in part to a two-run double from Taylor Thomas. Chelsea Wainwright, Ellington, Haley Self, Alexis Pollard, and Thomas all connected on base hits in the inning. Pollard also played a great game defensively from her center field position.

In the third inning Upson-Lee added three more runs, with the big blast coming off the bat of senior first baseman Chasity Holliman. She drilled a double over the right fielder’s head and later moved to third base on a solid single by Brianna Reviere. With runners on first and third, sophomore third baseman Chelsea Wainwright laid down a great bunt, which turned to gold after Lamar threw the ball down over the first baseman’s head and down the right field line. Holliman easily scored from third, Reviere came home to score from first, and Wainwright circled the bases on a bunt single and three-base error by Lamar County.

With a 6-0 lead, Ellington pitched beautifully, throwing strikes and letting her defense work behind her. Ellington found herself in a little trouble in the fourth inning, allowing four hits and three runs in the inning, but got the Lady Trojans to fly out to right field with runners on base to end the rally. Lamar would add one more run in the sixth inning, but it would not be enough, as senior Kaylie Nordon came in to record the last four outs of the game to earn the save.

Chelsea Wainwright led the Lady Knights with three hits, two runs scored, a stolen base and a RBI. Taylor Thomas added two hits, a run scored, a stolen base and two RBI. Seniors Chasity Holliman and Demeshia Russell also added two hits each, while Haley Self, Kaylee Ellington, Alexis Pollard, and Brianna Reviere each chipped in with one hit in the victory.

Over the weekend the Lady Knights added two more victories in the Callaway Invitational over in Troup County. Upson-Lee dropped the first three games of the tournament with losses to Central Carrollton (5-0), Troup County (6-1), and Hardaway (5-4). However, in their final two games of the tournament, the Lady Knights defeated Landmark Christian by a 5-0 score and Manchester by a 14-1 score.

Upson-Lee played their first home game of the season yesterday against Schley County, but the results of the game were not available by press time. Look in Friday’s edition of The Times for a full game recap.