By Staff
Justin Schuver, Hartselle Enquirer
Hartselle (20-11) finished up its most recent streak of games with two straight losses to Athens. The Lady Golden Eagles beat the Lady Tigers 4-3 in the finals of the Tiger Classic this weekend, then outlasted Hartselle 3-1 in an eight-inning loss Monday afternoon.
Athens 3
Hartselle 1 (8 innings)
An error to start the eighth inning proved costly for Hartselle as Athens came from behind to defeat the Lady Tigers 3-1 Monday.
Tied 1-1, Austin's Kristine Parker reached first base on an error and moved to third on Courtney White's single. White advanced to second on the throw and Hartselle pitcher Breanna Segars walked Amanda Rogers to load the bases.
Segars then walked Whitney Hawkins to drive in one run and allowed an RBI single to Lacy Kerr to drive in the other. Segars wiggled out of the inning with no further damage, striking out Brittany Wallace, forcing Rogers out at the plate and getting Tifinee Eaton to pop up to centerfield.
But the Hartselle offense could do nothing in the bottom of the eighth, going down in order against Athens starter Hawkins.
The Lady Tigers took an initial 1-0 lead when Catie Keel led off the first with a single, stole second, and eventually came around to score a run with the help of a controversial call. With two outs, Keel tried to steal third base, but was impeded in her progress by Athens shortstop Rogers. Rogers tagged her out halfway to the bag and the Athens team returned to its dugout only to be called back onto the field after the umpires held a conference and awarded Keel third, ruling that Rogers had interfered with her.
Keel eventually scored on a wild pitch.
Athens tied the game in the fourth inning when Rogers led off the inning with a moonshot home run to centerfield.
Hartselle had a chance to win it in the bottom of the seventh inning when Shanice Johnson led off with a double, but pinch runner Katie Staudt was stranded at third base.
Segars pitched the complete game for Hartselle, allowing seven hits and two earned runs. She struck out nine. Hawkins allowed just two hits and also struck out nine.
Athens 4
Hartselle 3
Saturday in the finals of the Tiger Classic, Athens squeaked by with a victory. Mary Curtis pitched the complete game for Hartselle, allowing 13 hits.
Whitney Fulmer, Whitley Collins and Keel had RBIs and Fulmer and Kayla Orr scored runs. Fulmer was 2-for-2 in the game, with a double and a triple.
Hartselle 3
Central-Florence 1
In Saturday's semifinals of the Tigers Classic, Curtis and Segars combined to pitch Hartselle into the finals. Curtis pitched five innings, allowing five hits and one earned run, and Segars pitched the final two and allowed just two hits. Both pitchers struck out two.
Ashley Womack had an RBI single and Catie Keel scored two runs.
Hartselle 4
Ardmore 1
In the single-elimination bracket of the Tiger Classic, Segars pitched a complete-game three-hitter as Hartselle won.
Orr and Lindsay Robinson each scored a run and had a double.
In earlier pool play games Friday, Hartselle defeated Marshall County (Ky.) 5-0 and Brooks 4-0.
Cullman 8
Hartselle 7
After trailing 7-3 against Cullman Thursday, the Lady Tigers came back with four runs in the top of the seventh inning to tie the game. But Cullman responded with a run in the bottom of the seventh and took the victory.
Curtis pitched seven innings for Hartselle, allowing 11 hits and striking out two.
Haley Miller had two RBIs and Robinson, Orr and Michel Fields had an RBI each. Fields also scored two runs and Orr, Robinson and Kristy Pevahouse each scored one run.