Head Coach Jimmy Pruett's varsity Lady Tigerx softball team is in for a tough week.
The week will decide which team will take control of Region 8A-AA North. Dawson will have home games Sept. 22 against Union County and Sept. 27 against Fannin County.
Dawson County defeated Union earlier this season, 3-0, but lost, 3-1, to Fannin.
It is turning into a three horse race between the teams. Currently Fannin leads the sub-region with a 5-1 record, while both Union and Dawson are tied for second with 4-2 sub-region records.
"There will be some great softball played this week," Pruett said.
Jenna Abbott, starting pitcher, left the Banks County game last week with a back injury and didn't play at all against Rabun County on Thursday.
"The team hopes Jenna will be able to return this week," Pruett said. "We are just playing it day by day."
Abbott was also named The Gainesville Times Athlete-of-the-Week last week for her strong pitching performance against East Hall. She recorded 18 strikeouts in the contest.
In a game played at home Sept. 13 the Lady Tigers dropped a 4-3 decision to Banks County.
After a slow start, Dawson took a 3-0 lead into the sixth inning. Abbott was struggling on the mound. Between each inning, the training staff attempted to stretch out her sore back.
After Banks scored three runs in the top of the sixth inning and put runners on first and second to start the seventh inning, Abbott was pulled in favor of backup pitcher Martie Rogers.
Rogers entered the game and did a good job. She gave up a run, which was credited to Abbott, but pitched nicely to get the Lady Tigers out of a big jam.
Dawson opened the scoring in the bottom of the fourth inning. Gracie Hovan doubled and scored the innings only run.
Natalie Burt sacrificed Hovan to third base. Morgan Huber hit a ground ball that scored Hovan from third. Abbott doubled but was stranded at second base. The Lady Tigers held a 1-0 lead.
Pruett's team added two more runs in the fifth inning on singles by Kimberly Wallace, Samantha Moulder and Hovan.
Banks loaded the bases in the sixth inning and scored three runs that tied the game at 3-3.
Abbott got into trouble in the seventh inning and allowed the first two runners to reach base. The Lady Leopards pushed a run across the plate on a single to left field that gave them a 4-3 advantage.
Dawson went three up and three down in the bottom of the inning.
"That was a tough one to lose," Pruett said.
The Lady Tigers rebounded on Thursday and picked up an 8-0 win over Rabun County in Tiger.
Rogers had a great day pitching. She allowed only two hits and struck out six Lady Wildcats batters.