SOFTBALL STATE TOURNAMENT KICKED OFF IN OXFORD
Story By Cinthia Rico
The 2023 AHSAA softball state championship tournament kicked off at Oxford’s Choccolocco Park on Tuesday.
The double-elimination tourney welcomed the top 56 teams from across the state as they battled over two days for the state title.
Jackson County’s Skyline Lady Vikings and Scottsboro Lady Wildcats advanced to this year’s championship tournament.
In Class 1A, The Vikings, led by head coach Slade Bellomy headed into their third straight state tournament appearance and fourth overall after dominating Spring Garden 15-0 to claim the 1A East Regional title.
Skyline fell 0-1 against Branley in the opening round on Tuesday morning, falling into the elimination bracket.
The Vikings bested Athens Bible 6-3 in round one and later edged Waterloo 3-1.
Skyline continued to play on Thursday. The championship game was
scheduled for Thursday afternoon. The games were not completed before press time.
In Class 5A, Scottsboro, under the leadership of head coach Kevin Thompson, entered their fifth overall state tournament appearance and the first since 2017.
The Wildcats kicked off first-round play Wednesday morning against Brewbaker Tech.
The championship round was scheduled for later the same day, with the final round slated for Friday, May 18. The games were not completed before press time.
AHSAA Softball State Tournament tickets are available through GoFan.
SKYLINE, SCOTTSBORO ADVANCE TO STATE TOURNAMENT
The Skyline Lady Vikings dominated the AHSAA Class 2A East Regional Softball Tournament at Sand Mountain Park in Albertville, advancing to the 2023 state tournament.
The Vikings cruised past Spring Garden 15-0 to claim the East Regional Championship.
In the winning circle, Olivia Treece struck out five, allowing two hits and no runs over four innings.
Ella Dean led Skyline at the plate going 1-for-3 and drove in five runs, including a dinger in the fourth to seal their win. Jayla Ross finished with a double, a triple, and three RBIs, while Audra Bellomy went 2-for-3 with two RBIs.
Brook Cloud, and Brinlee Potts recorded one hit, two walks, and one RBI apiece. Blakely Stucky had one hit and one RBI. Sage Lewis and Kenzie Manning both added a hit each.
The Vikings overpowered Cedar Bluff with a 12-1
win in the semifinal round.
Treece took the win on the hill, allowed three hits, and struck out eight over five innings.
Dean went 2-for-3 with two RBIs, while Potts added a double, a single,
and a walk and scored two runs. Ross recorded a double driving in two runs. Cloud, Manning, Treece, and Lewis each collected a hit for Skyline.
In Class 5A East Regionals play, the Scottsboro Lady Wildcats also advanced to the state tournament shutting out Alexandria 12-0 in the final and securing its spot at the AHSAA Class 5A State Softball Tournament.
Ace Anna Stuart Dawson delivered a shutout performance surrendering
no runs on one hit over five innings while striking out three.
The Wildcats fired up their offense in the opening frame with walks from Morgan Perkins, Alyssa Smart, Kambrie Doss, and Austin McNeese for a 1-0 advantage.
Brooklyn McGee continued the momentum driving in Doss and Crumbly before scoring on a passed ball. Lana Emanuel further Scottsboros led with a double for a 6-0 first-inning score.
Building on their momentum, the Wildcats added six more runs in the
second, locking in their win. Emanuel went 2-for-3 with three RBIs and McNeese went 2-for-2, leading Scottsboro at the plate.
McGee had one hit, three AB, and four RBIs, while Perkins, Smart, Wadkins, and Whitson all tallied a hit.
Earlier in the tournament, Scottsboro edged Southside 1-0 in the winners’ semifinals and bested Moody 7-1 in the quarterfinals.
In Class 2A play, Pisgah capped their postseason with a 20-16 record following a tough 13-3 loss to Ider in an elimination bracket final last Wednesday.
The Eagles got off to an early 3-1 lead when Rylan Lawson singled, driving in two runs in the first inning.
Ider recovered in the third behind a four-run inning to take the lead and later added eight more runs.
Campbell Barron led Pisgah in hits going 3-for-4 at the plate, while Lawson and Briley Caperton recorded two hits each, and Madeline Flammia and Julianne Davis had one hit apiece.
Earlier in the tourney, the Eagles edged Sand Rock 5-3 and Holly Pond 5-1, later falling short against Pleasant Valley 5-3.
In Class 4A, the North Jackson Lady Chiefs finished their season with a 30-15 record after falling 10-2 against Cordova in the elimination bracket matchup last Friday morning.
The senior heavy team saw its five-season statetournament appearance streak severed following an uncharacteristic lowscoring offense.
Peyton Hill led the Chiefs in hits going 2-for-4 at the plate, while Sara Kate Garner, Avery Wynne, and Destry Lambert each recorded a hit.
In two bright spots for the Chiefs, Haven Steeley placed North Jackson on the scoreboard in the second, and later Garner scored on a Hill single at the top of the fifth.
Earlier in the tournament, the Chiefs defeated Corner 7-1 before falling short 3-0 against White Plains in a winners bracket semifinal.
Skyline and Scottsboro advanced to the 2023 AHSAA State Softball Tournament at Choccolocco Park in Oxford.
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