For the 10th time in the last 20 years the Southeast Bulloch softball team is off to Columbus. Pushed to a third and decisive game Friday in Brooklet the Jackets scored in all but one inning and road the hot pitching of Marissa Waters to a 7-0 victory over Mary Persons and a spot in the Elite-8.

“We just kept tacking on runs and putting the pressure on them today,” said coach Aimee Civalier. “Marissa pitched lights out and our defense played great. It was a great overall team effort for the victory.”

The Jackets were forced to a third and decisive game after splitting with Mary Persons Thursday afternoon. SEB took the opener 10-3, but struggled against pitcher Olivia Woodgeard in the nitecap and fell 7-4.

Woodgeard pitched the first four innings of the opener and went a complete game in the Bulldogs game two loss. She came back to start Friday but Civalier felt like fatigue got to the junior lefthander.

You could tell her velocity wasn’t what it was last night,” Civalier said. “She really kept us off balance in the second game last night. She has a changeup that is about 30 miles per hour than her fastball and we struggled with that. We made some adjustments today at the plate and I am proud of the way our team followed the gameplan and battled.”

Southeast jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first as Megan Newham drove home Paige Nelson for a 1-0 lead. They added an RBI single from Kristina Tisby to make it 2-0 and then Ella Ray Jernigan scored on a wild pitch in the third for a 3-0 lead.

Paisley Nordeoff extended the lead to 5-0 in the fourth with a two-run single to center. Nelson scored on a fielders choice to make it 6-0 and then in the fifth Tisby drove Nelson in for the final run of the game.

Newham helped spark the defense with an exciting diving play behind the plate in the second inning and then doubled off the runner at first. The Jackets made no errors in the field and Waters was solid on the mound as she scattered three hits and struck out three with only one walk.

For this year’s seniors they have fulfilled their pre-season goal of getting back to the state Elite-8 in Columbus.

“Our seniors were freshmen the last time we advanced to Columbus and I am so happy for them to reach that team goal,” Civalier said. “We took it one step at a time and we are excited. I feel like this is the kind of team that can compete when we get there.

The Elite-8 begins Wednesday in Columbus Southeast Bulloch opens things up at 1:00 p.m. against Monroe Area.