By Staff
Hartselle's ponytail all-star team was hardly challenged as they swept their way through district play to qualify for a state tournament berth.
They collected three shutouts, one a no-hitter, in five games at Athens. The closest margin of victory was five runs.
The Hartselle Ponytail All-Stars completed their claim to the district title by defeating the Decatur Nationals team for a second time. Hartselle shutout the Decatur squad in early tournament action.
Hartselle started in the visitors' position and initiated the scoring with two runs in the first inning. They added three in the second and collected four in the third before Decatur averted a shutout with a three-run rally.
Hartselle's All-Stars didn't let up despite a 9-3 advantage. In the fourth inning they added two more complete circuits and capped their total with a lone run in the fifth. After the three-run lapse in the fourth inning, Hartselle's defense snapped back to shutout caliber for the remainder of the game.
The Ponytail All-Stars used three pitchers to claim the championship. Kayla Orr got the win for two innings of work. She struck out three, walked none and allowed no hits.
Courtney Shuemake worked the next two innings, fanning three, walking one and giving up three hits. Anna Hall got the close for Hartselle.
A huge factor in the Hartselle victory was smart base running. The Hartselle All-Stars managed to steal a total of eight bases from the Decatur Nationals. Cerra Little grabbed two, while Audrey McClanahan, Kimmie Minor, Katie Kilgore, Chandler Orr, Anna Hall and Michel Fields also pirated one each.
At the plate, K. Orr led the Hartselle All-Stars with a triple, a double and two base hits, driving in one run. McClanahan drove in three runs with a triple and a single. Kristy Pevahouse ripped a 2-RBI single, while Shawna Clemons and C. Shuemake both connected for RBI singles.
Also collecting RBIs were Chandler Orr and Michel Fields. C. Little collected a base hit. Kimmie Minor and Katie Kilgore both scored off of walks.
In the semi-final game, the Hartselle All-Stars put a second shutout on the Decatur Continental team.
Hartselle scored first with a pair of circuits in the first inning and completed their scoring with three runs in the third inning.
Kayla Orr was the winning pitcher for Hartselle. She struck out four, walked one and gave up one hit.
Courtney Shuemake worked one inning of relief, while Michel Fields got the save in the last two innings. She struck out five in three perfect innings.
K. Orr again led the Hartselle All-Stars at the plate with a triple and a base hit. She drove in two runs and scored twice. Shawna Clemons connected for two singles and scored two runs. Audrey McClanahan singled and Anna Hall scored once.
K. Orr and A. McClanahan both stole two bases each. Hall and Clemons picked up one each.
Hartselle almost picked up their third shutout victory in their third game when they took on the all-stars from Muscle Shoals.
Hartselle scored all seven of their runs before the girls from Muscle Shoals broke a three-inning drought with a single run in the bottom of the fourth inning to prevent the shutout.
K. Orr picked up her third pitching win with relief from Shuemake and Anna Hall.
Michel Fields led the Hartselle All-Stars at the plate with a 2-RBI double and an RBI single. Kimmie Minor ripped a 2-RBI double. Chandler Orr clubbed a pair of singles that drove in one run.
McClanahan connected for a base hit, but managed to steal five bases in the course of the game. K. Orr and A. Hall finished out the Hartselle hitting with singles. K. Orr also pirated a pair of bases, as did Katie Kilgore. Kilgore also scored twice for Hartselle. Also stealing bases for Hartselle were Kristy Pevahouse and M. Fields.
Hartselle played the home team in their first meeting with the Decatur Nationals and came away with their second shutout of the tournament.
The All-Stars plated two runs in the opening inning and added lone circuits in the second, four and fifth innings for their total.
K. Orr was the winning pitcher, working two perfect innings with four strikeouts before handing off to Shuemake. McClanahan closed for Hartselle.
Anna Hall clipped a base hit, but stole five bases after reaching base on walks.
McClanahan stole four and connected for a single. K. Orr pirated three bags, scoring twice. She ripped a base hit. Chandler Orr ripped a 2-RBI single and stole one base.
Shuemake got the big hit with a triple.
Kaitlin Faulkner scored once and stole one base.
The Hartselle All-Stars started their march to the championship with a overwhelming shutout of the Decatur Continental squad.
The Hartselle All-Stars opened the scoring with a pair of runs in the second inning. They added four runs in the third inning, three in the fourth and a final pair in the fifth.
Pitchers Kayla Orr, Courtney Shuemake and Michel Fields combined for a no hitter.
K. Orr led the Hartselle offense with a triple and a base hit, good for an RBI. She also stole five bases and scored three runs. C. Orr stole three bases and connected for a double and a single. She drove in one run and scored three Hartselle runs.
A. McClanahan pirated three bases and ripped a single. A. Hall and K. Kilgore singled.