A spectacular season for the Belgreen High School varsity softball team came to an end last week. One of the final four teams standing in Class 2A, the Lady Bulldogs, ranked No. 8 in the final Alabama Sports Writers Association poll of the season, fell to Pisgah in the semifinal round of the AHSAA playoffs, concluding a 36-18 campaign.
“It was a special year,” Belgreen head coach Sander Tverberg said. “All year long these girls played with resilience and confidence and belief in each other. They worked hard and improved every day.
“We had a lot of newcomers and some girls that hadn’t played varsity until this year, and I think the experience they’ve had this year will really benefit them in the future,” he added.
Belgreen’s postseason journey began at the North Regional in Florence where the Lady Bulldogs went 4-1 over two days to secure a spot in the state tournament.
On May 5, the first day of the regional, Belgreen defeated Lamar County 14-9 before falling to Sumiton Christian 13-2 in the final game of the day.
BHS responded emphatically the following day, May 6, with a 21-0 drubbing of Tuscaloosa Academy. The Lady Bulldogs, behind a nearly flawless combined pitching performance from Jemma Moore and Zoey Blaxton and a 10-run first inning, only needed three innings to put the Lady Knights away.
That momentum carried into the next two games when the Lady Bulldogs were able to sneak by in back-to-back 6-5 wins over Lindsay Lane and Sulligent.
The contest against Lindsay Lane ended in walk-off fashion when, in the bottom of the seventh, center fielder Bryn Scott hit an RBI single into center to score Charley Hogan.
Similarly, the Lady Bulldogs needed to make a late charge to take down Sulligent later in the day. BHS scored three runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to take a narrow 6-5 lead heading into the final inning. The game was tied 5-5 thanks to a two-RBI double by catcher Caleigh Lawson. The go-ahead run was scored by Randi Terry after an error by the Lady Devils’ second baseman.
On the mound, Blaxton got the start and earned the win against Lindsay Lane, tossing all seven innings and allowing just one earned run of five hits. Her partner in the circle, Moore, pitched a complete game against Sulligent, allowing three earned runs off seven hits.
Belgreen’s run of three consecutive wins in elimination games sent them to the state tournament played at Choccolocco Park in Oxford.
“We played in several tournaments this year where we lost a game early and ended up coming back and winning the tournament,” Tverberg said. “I think that experience helped us in the regional tournament.
“The players played well and played with confidence and belief in each other,” he added. “They all had the will to win. You could see it in how they played. They all expected to make something happen, whether it be in the batter’s box or making a play in the field. They all stepped up.”
At the state tournament, Belgreen’s appearance was unfortunately bookended by losses to No. 5 Pisgah, the eventual state runner-up.
On the opening day of the tournament, Monday, May 12, Belgreen fell to the Lady Eagles 7-1.
“I do think there were some nerves in that first game,” Tverberg said. “We have a lot of younger players on the team that had never been in that position before, and Pisgah has a reputation of success and is used to being there. We still played well in that game, but I think some nerves maybe got the better of us.”
Importantly, though, BHS regrouped after the defeat and capped the day with two wins over Horseshoe Bend and West End.
BHS defeated the Horseshoe Bend Lady Generals 10-4 behind solid performances in the circle by the starting pitcher Moore, who tossed three innings, and relief pitcher Blaxton, who closed out the remaining four innings. Between the two they only allowed one earned run off five hits.
Going behind 1-0 after the top of the first, Belgreen tied the game up 1-1 in the second inning and then put up crooked numbers in the fourth, fifth, and sixth innings. Blaxton, in addition to her performance in the circle, helped herself out with a 3-for-4, three RBI day at the plate. Hogan also contributed with the bat, going 2-for-4 with two RBIs.
In the next game versus West End, Belgreen defeated the Lady Patriots 8-2.
The Lady Bulldogs plated solo runs in the first, third, fourth, and fifth innings before really putting some distance between them and their opponent with a four-run sixth inning.
A complete game from Blaxton in the circle aided BHS in the quest to advance. Blaxton did not allow an earned run and gave up just five hits.
In the batter’s box, Lawson and Morgan Vandiver ended the game with two RBIs each while Scott finished with a game-high two runs scored.
Belgreen’s playoff run came to an end on the following day, May 12, after a rematch against Pisgah that, once again, concluded in defeat for the Lady Bulldogs.
Down 9-0 heading into the fifth, Belgreen launched a comeback attempt with a five-run inning that eroded Pisgah’s advantage to four runs.
Three consecutive walks by Pisgah in the top half of the inning loaded the bases for Scott, who opened the scoring for Belgreen with an RBI single. Two batters later, Moore cleared the bases with a three-RBI double into left field to make it 9-4. BHS’ fifth and final run came through the bat of Lawson, whose RBI double into center field scored courtesy runner Marleigh Terry from second base.
The Lady Eagles, however, undaunted, responded with three runs of their own in the bottom half of the inning, reupping their advantage by seven runs. The Lady Bulldogs were unable to get anything going in the next two innings and were retired in order, sealing the 12-5 outcome.
Starting pitcher Zoey Blaxton, who pitched three and a third innings, was stuck with the loss. Moore and MaKinley Vandiver both came in in relief.
At the plate, Moore led the team with three RBIs and Scott had a team-best three hits.
“Pisgah is a really good team,” Tverberg said. “Sometimes a team just has your number. The players played their hardest and they didn’t give up. I think a lot of it had to do with the experience that Pisgah has.”
Although the Lady Bulldogs were unable to achieve its ultimate goal of clinching the state title and the program’s first Blue Map trophy, Tverberg said the team’s playoff run will be a great learning experience for a team returning a lot of players next season.
“Fourth place is good, but I know the players believe they could go further,” Tverberg said. “We had a pretty young team this year. Having that experience in the state tournament and getting a taste of that, I think it’s going to be a good experience for our players. They’ve got a taste of it and now have something to work back to and will try to go even further.”
The 2025 BHS softball team will be remembered for its tremendous success, of course, but Tverberg said he’ll remember this year’s squad for two other reasons:
“I think what I’ll remember most about this team is, first, my two seniors Dacota Green and Morgan Lauderdale,” Tverberg said. “Their leadership was great for our team. The season didn’t always go how they might have wanted, but they worked hard and were great leaders and good role models for all our younger players.
“The second thing I’ll remember about this team is how all the kids got along and worked hard and improved every day,” he added. “I think that’s the one thing that helped us to have the season we had: each player got a little better each day, and that led to our success.”
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