By By Clif Knight, Hartselle Enquirer
Hartselle’s Lady Tigers (36-17) advanced to the State Softball Tournament by trouncing Albertville’s Lady Aggies 5-0 and 9-1 in a best two-of-three substate series at the Grady and Margie Long Softball Complex on Saturday.
Hartselle will take on Rehobeth’s Lady Rebels of Dothan at Montgomery’s Lagoon Park on Thursday (today) at 10:30 a.m. The Lady Rebels have a 44-9 record and are the No. 1 ranked Class 5A team in the state.
The fourth-ranked Lady Tigers had no trouble eliminating the10th ranked Lady Aggies from the playoffs. They out-hit their opponents 23-5, scored early in both games and never trailed.
If the Lady Tigers win their first game, they will play the winner of the Cullman vs. Springville game at 3 p.m. on Thursday. Other teams in the eight-team field of regional champions are St. Paul’s, Chelsea, Mortimer Jordan and Spanish Fort.
The championship round is scheduled on Friday at 4 p.m. A second finals game, if needed, will be played at 5:30 p.m.
Hartselle 5, Albertville 0
The Lady Tigers got a jump start on the Lady Aggies as they scored two runs in the bottom of the second inning and three more in the third.
Sara Lang led the hitting attack with a three-run home run blast and a single. Hayden Watts followed with three singles and Ashley Bonner, Michel Fields, Anna Beth Hall and Audrey McClanahan each singled.
Breanna Riley went all the way on the mount and was credited with the win. She allowed no runs on three hits, struck out seven, walked three and hit a batter.
Hartselle 9, Albertville 1
The Lady Tigers took control of the game by scoring two runs in the top of the first inning, six in the third and a single run in the seventh. Albertville’s only run was unearned. It was scored in the first inning.
Hartselle blasted 14 hits while Albertville had only two.
Kristy Pevahouse paced the Lady Tigers at the plate with a home run and a pair of singles. Chandler Orr followed with a home run and a single. Lang also had a home run. Alex Paulsen doubled and singled, Fields had a pair of singles, McClanahan doubled and Kimmie Minor, Hall and Watts each singled.
Meaghan Gray was the winning pitcher. She pitched seven innings allowing one run on two hits while striking out three and walking one.
Substate first round
Gardendale 5, Hartselle 1
Gardendale tagged Hartselle with three runs in the first inning and went on to carve out an easy 5-1 win over Hartselle’s Lady Tigers in the first game of a best two -of-three substate series on May 6.
Hartselle had five hits, a double and a single by Lang, a pair of singles by Fields and a single by Orr.
Riley worked five innings on the mound and was credited with the loss. She gave up four runs on seven hits. Meaghan Gray didn’t give up a hit and struck out one in two innings of relief.
Hartselle 4, Gardendale 0
Hartselle peppered Gardendale pitching for five hits in seven innings to take a 4-0 win in the second game and even the series 1-1. Two of the runs came in the first inning on an error, two walks and a sacrifice fly.
Pevahouise paced the Lady Tigers at the plate with a double and a single. Lang homered and Watts and Orr each singled.
Riley was the winning pitcher. She allowed no runs on three hits, struck out three, walked one and hit a batter.
Hartselle 11, Gardendale 6
Hartselle had to resort to the long ball to pull out an 11-6 win over Gardendale and earn the right to move on to the second substate round of the state playoffs.
The Lady Tigers knocked five balls out of the ballpark and drove four more to the fence for doubles in a 14-hit attack. The Lady Rockets answered with a13-hit attack including two home runs.
Pevahouse paced Hartselle’s attack with a pair of homers and a pair of singles. Lang had a homer and a pair of doubles, McClanahan homered, doubled and singled, Minor had a home run. Hall doubled and Orr and Bonner each singled.
Riley went the distance and got the win but struggled in the process. She allowed six runs on 13 hits while striking out one, giving up two walks and hitting a batter.