Story and Photos by Cinthia Rico
The 2022 Jackson County Softball Tournament kicked off last Friday at Woodville High School. Six teams competed for the county title.
Quarterfinals
NSM 13, Woodville 0
Caybree Dobbins led things off on the mound for the Bison, surrendering zero runs on zero hits over three innings, striking out eight, and walking none as North Sand Mountain crushed Woodville 13-0 last Friday.
The Bison kicked things off early on when Gracie Holland drew a walk, Preston scoring a run then adding five more runs from C Dobbins, K Barton, K Bobo, L Manley, and another run from Holland at the bottom of the first.
Extending their 7-0 lead, North Sand Mountain put up six runs in the third inning, with Davenport, Kinsey Barton and Holland, all scoring.
Skyline 10, Section 0
The Viking’s shutout Section 10-0 in the quarterfinal rounds of the Jackson County Tournament last week, sending them to the elimination round against Woodville.
Semifinals
Pisgah 13, NSM 0
Pisgah’s Piper Anderson led the Eagles on the mound, allowing one hit and no runs over two innings, striking out one and walking one as they defeated North Sand Mountain 13-0.
Lila Kate Wheeler fired off two homers, one in the second and another in the third. Karlee Holcomb added another home run in the third for a Pisgah 13-0 advantage.
The Eagles captured an early lead when Madeline Flammia scored on a hit from Briley Worley, followed by Wheeler, Anderson, Laney Liles and Julianne Davis, who scored on Wheeler’s homer.
The Bison struggled against Pisgah’s high-power offense. Leea Manley surrendered seven runs on six hits over two innings. Kinsey Barton and Ava Henson came in relief, throwing one inning each respectively.
North Jackson 6, Skyline 5
Skyline’s Brinlee Potts finished with one run and two RBIs, while Audra Bellomy, Gracie Rowell, Ella Dean, and Bailey Talley all added runs for the Vikings.
North Jackson’s Ja’Khia Hutchins scored two runs, Bailey Abernathy and Destry Lambert, each added runs.
The Chiefs got things started at the bottom of the second, later adding two more runs. However, the Vikings answered with the runs in the fifth, tying the game 3-3.
The two continued battling throughout the eighth inning, tying 5-5, before North Jackson clinched a run at the bottom of the ninth for a 6-5 victory over the Vikings.
Elimination Round
Section 20, Woodville 5
Section secured an early lead for a 20-5 victory over Woodville.
The Lions got things started tallying up nine hits in the first inning and later furthering their offensive measures by scattering 11 more hits and eliminating Woodville out of the tournament.
Skyline 7, NSM 6
Skyline bested North Sand Mountain 7-6, setting out the Bison from the tournament and advancing to face off against Section.
The Vikings shutout Section, 16-9, capturing an early lead and knocking the Lions out of tourney play.
North Jackson 7, Skyline 6
North Jackson clinched a 7-6 victory over Skyline in the elimination bracket, advancing to the championship against Pisgah.
Battling through for eight innings, the teams tied 3-3 at the fifth.
The Vikings took the lead at the top of the eighth inning with Audra Bellomy scoring on a hit from Dacey Allen, followed by another run from Bailey Talley, giving Skyline a 5-3 advantage.
At the bottom of the eighth, North Jackson,s Bailey Abernathy scored off a hit from Destry Lambert, followed by a run from Jayda Hutchins, tying the game again at 5-5 and forcing a ninth-inning play.
Arielle Haynes scored on a hit from Trinity Seale, lifting the Chief 6-5 over Skyline and advancing to the championship round against Pisgah.
