Gwinnett Daily Post

Staff Photo: John Bohn Brookwood's Susan Norris (11), center, celebrates her three-run home run with teammates during the fourth inning of Wednesday's Region 8-AAAAA softball tournament game. Brookwood defeated Parkview 11 to 0 in five innings.

SNELLVILLE -- One day after losing a heartbreaking 2-1 game over Region 8-AAAAA rival Archer, No. 2 Brookwood rebounded with a 12-0 drubbing of Parkview in five innings, advancing to the finals where it will face Archer for the fourth, and for the Broncos, fifth time this year.

The Broncos took advantage of errors in the field by the Panthers, taking the extra base and pushing the pace early.

"We told the girls we wanted to put pressure on their defense early," said Brookwood head coach Bill Batchelor. "I was a little concerned after last night's loss there would be a letdown, but our girls came through."

Brookwood got things going in the first inning, when Mandy Blackwell hit an RBI sacrifice fly to score her sister, Jenny, who doubled to left and took third on an error.

Ambree Muller was the story of the second inning, legging out an infield single, then stealing two bases before scoring on a throwing error to give Brookwood a 2-0 lead.

Brookwood added two more runs the next inning on a two-run double by Brandi Jones, before piling on in the fourth and fifth innings, scoring three and five runs, respectively. The big blow was in the fourth, when Susan Norris blasted a three-run homer to break the game open to 7-0.

In the field, the Broncos were just as good, gobbling up every grounder in sight and not allowing the Panthers a chance to get into the game.

"We're confident in our pitchers and they did a good job," Batchelor said. "Our defense got after it and we were able to avoid costly mistakes."

In the fifth inning, Brookwood started hot with a double by Mandy Blackwell and an RBI single by Rachel Hill. Taylor Stercay doubled in Hill, and then came in on a single by Ansley Jones. Norris grabbed her fourth RBI of the game with a single to center, scoring Jones. Katie Gouveia finished the scoring by reaching on an infield single, scoring Norris.

Jones picked up the win in the circle, going three innings, while giving up one hit.

Now, it's on to their fourth game with Archer. To get to that fifth game, the Lady Broncos (28-5) will have to beat the Lady Tigers in the first game, to force a final game in the double-elimination tournament.

"We just have to take it one pitch at a time," Batchelor said.

Parkview 6, Grayson 0

The Panthers (12-13) got a home run from Eryn Stepp to lead off the second inning and pulled away late, giving the Lady Rams (16-16) the No. 4 seed from the region.

Amanda Chambers did the rest, throwing a complete-game shutout, while striking out 12.

The third inning saw Parkview taking advantage of three errors as Jordan Moody and Ally Claytor came across the plate, giving the Panthers a 3-0 lead.

Three more runs were pushed across the board for the Panthers in the sixth as Taylor Muirhead and Sarah Allen scored on a two-run single by Patty Dennison. Claytor scored when the next batter, Morgan Robinson, hit an RBI sac fly, giving the Panthers their sixth, and final, run.