Local softball roundup, April 6-11: Tharptown wins Franklin County Tournament
Here’s a look at the softball action from Franklin County teams April 6-11:
Monday, April 6
Russellville 7, Belgreen 5
Russellville picked up its first win of the week against county foe Belgreen, coming from 3-0 down to win by two runs in the final two innings. Belgreen drew first blood with an RBI groundout by Jemma Moore that scored Bryn Scott. The Lady Bulldogs would add solo runs—driven in by Zoey Blaxton and Mackinley Hogan—in the fourth and fifth innings, as well, to take a 3-0 lead before Russellville responded. The Lady Golden Tigers tied the game up 3-3 in the top of the sixth thanks to a BHS error followed by a two-run homer by Alexia Groce. The Lady Bulldogs re-took the lead, 4-3, in the bottom half of the inning via a solo home run to left by Kendra Williams, but once again the visitors found a reply: in the top of the seventh, a two-run Khristyan Huerta double was the go-ahead hit; it was followed by a BHS error that allowed another to score and then an RBI single by Chloe James to make it 7-4, RHS. Belgreen added one final run on a passed ball in the bottom half of the inning but wasn’t able to string enough hits together to catch back up to Russellville. In the circle, Belgreen’s Brooklyn McGaughy took the loss after coming in in relief for Blaxton. Russellville’s Kaylee Suggs, who pitched six innings and allowed three earned runs off six hits, was credited with the win. Taitum Bishop came in in the seventh to pick up the save.
Vina 10, Addison 4
Tuesday, April 7
Sulligent 3, Belgreen 2
Russellville 5, Hamilton 2
Phil Campbell 9, Red Bay 6
Phil Campbell secured a win over rival Red Bay in a back-and-forth game that was highlighted by (and came down to) a combined 10-run fifth inning. Both squads started off by scoring two runs each in the first inning: a sacrifice fly by Mikayela Jackson and a Phil Campbell error gave RBHS an initial 2-0 lead before the Lady Bobcats responded and tied the game up on a two-run single by Addi James. In the second inning, Phil Campbell took its first lead, 3-2, after an error by Red Bay allowed Shiloh Madden come around. That’s how the score would remain until the fifth when both teams put up crooked numbers. In the top half, Red Bay purchased a tentative 6-3 advantage thanks to a couple of errors and an RBI groundout by Bella Blackburn that scored Olivia Miller. But in the bottom half the Lady Tigers saw a reverse of fortune. Georgia Motes drove in Kylee Fugate on a triple to left field; that hit was followed by a couple of walks and then back-to-back RBI singles by Madden and Amyah Hamilton, Hamilton’s two-run fly ball to left field being the go-ahead hit. The Lady Bobcats completed the scoring later in the inning on a two-run single by Chaley Bullington to make it 9-6. Bullington, James, and Hamilton finished the contest with two RBIs apiece for PCHS. Red Bay’s Emma Blackburn led the Tigers with two hits in the defeat. In the circle, Charley Lindley, who pitched a complete game for RBHS, was stuck with the loss; Addi James, who also pitched a complete game, was rewarded with the win. James allowed two earned runs (four unearned) off five hits and had eight strikeouts.
Vina 9, Phillips 2
Eleven hits and a solid pitching performance by Vina’s MiKayla Shotts helped the Lady Red Devils grab an important area victory over Phillips at home. Vina scored in every inning and put up crooked numbers in third, fourth, and sixth innings. After falling behind 1-0 after the first half inning, the Lady Red Devils responded to tie it back up and went from there. Right fielder Olivia Crum had a team-high two RBIs which came off a groundout and single in the sixth that scored VHS’ final run. Kenzie Elrod had a 3-for-4 day and came around to score twice, as well. Shotts, who pitched six innings, allowed two earned runs off seven hits and struck out four batters. Lana Bell spelled Shotts in the seventh, giving up one hit and striking out one. Vina seniors Harleigh Ridge and Braxtyn Quinn were honored after the game.
Thursday, April 9
Colbert Heights 8, Phil Campbell 4
Lawrence County 2, Russellville 0
Vina 15, Phillips 2
Traveling for its road area game at Phillips, the Lady Red Devils came away with an even more impressive win over Phillips than the one earlier in the week. Vina, jumping out to a 4-0 lead after the first inning, held a 6-0 advantage before Phillips was able to respond in the fifth and sixth innings. But no matter because the Lady Red Devils, who outhit the Lady Bears 14-1, finished strong with nine runs in the top of the seventh inning. A single by Braxtyn Quinn, a double by Lindie Easterling, and a triple by Kari Harper accounted for Vina’s first four runs of the game. A PHS error and an RBI single by Harleigh Ridge made it 6-0 in the fourth. Ridge, who finished the game 3-for-5 with three RBIs, would go on to add a solo home run to start off Vina’s explosive seventh inning; the top of the seventh was also highlighted by back-to-back RBI triples from Lana Bell and Kenzie Elrod. Easterling, Harper, and Bell all finished with multiple hits and two RBIs each. Bell also had a fabulous performance in the circle for Vina, allowing just one hit over seven full innings. None of the two runs Vina allowed were earned and Bell recorded eight strikeouts. The Lady Red Devils would go on to end the week with an 11-16-1 overall record.
Friday, April 10
Tharptown 5, Phil Campbell 4
Tharptown 2, Belgreen 1
Red Bay 5, Vina 3
Russellville 8, Pisgah 4
Cullman 3, Russellville 2
Saturday, April 11
Albertville 10, Russellville 8
Russellville 9, Mountain Brook 5
Propelled by an eight-run first inning, the Russellville Lady Golden Tigers knocked off Class 7A Mountain Brook in three innings in Cullman. After going down 1-0 after the first half inning of play, Russellville struck back and tied the game up via an RBI groundout by Khristyan Huerta. An RBI walk and RBI hit-by-pitch added two more RHS runs before three consecutive hits—a two-run triple by left fielder Ticelee Gholston sandwiched between RBI singles by Sadie Odom and Bri McCulloch—made it 8-1, RHS. Russellville’s ninth and final run of the game came home through an RBI fielder’s choice from Kaylee Suggs that scored Huerta from third base. Suggs finished with two RBIs for the game, as did Odom. Gholston, who went 2-for-2, also had two RBIs and came around to score twice herself. In the circle, Taitum Bishop, who pitched two and two-thirds innings was credited with the win. Coming off five hits, only one of Mountain Brook’s five runs was earned. The Lady Golden Tigers finished their week with a 16-17-1 overall record.
Cullman 6, Russellville 1
Phil Campbell 10, Vina 8
Tharptown 4, Red Bay 0
Belgreen 5, Phil Campbell 2
Belgreen eliminated Phil Campbell from the Franklin County Tournament in a five-inning game. Belgreen took an initial 3-0 lead after an inning and half via RBI singles from Kendra Williams, Jemma Moore and Bryn Scott before Phil Campbell responded with a two-run bottom second. Back-to-back hits—a double by Bella Welch and a single by Shiloh Madden—scored two runs to cut into the Lady Bulldogs’ lead, but in the end it would prove too little production. BHS would go on to add two more runs in the top half of the fifth on consecutive RBI singles from Lilliana Willingham and Charley Hogan. Phil Campbell’s Addi James, who pitched all five innings for her team, took the loss. Moore, the starting pitcher for Belgreen, got the win after throwing two innings. Zoey Blaxton relieved her and finished out the game with three strikeouts. PCHS ended the week with a 9-18 overall record; BHS finished its week at 12-13-1.
Red Bay 7, Belgreen 2
Red Bay 4, Tharptown 2
Tharptown 4, Red Bay 1
It was a winner-take-all situation when Tharptown met Red Bay for the third time on Saturday. The two teams split the results in the first two meetings of the day, but it was the Lady Wildcats who eventually came out on top to take the Franklin County Tournament crown. Tharptown created an initial 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning—an RBI double by senior Alyssa Fischer and a later single by Lexi Little brought in Paisleigh Carr and Haylie Goforth—before adding two more insurance runs in the third. Allie Gann accounted for THS’ two runs in the third, her RBI double driving in Gabi Johnson and Kenzi Downard. Red Bay’s lone run came in the bottom of the fourth and final inning: Charley Lindley doubled on a line drive to center field, scoring Olivia Miller from second base. Hadley Griffin and Lindley shared pitching duties for RBHS in the loss, both throwing two innings each. Griffin, the starter, allowed two unearned runs off three hits before Lindley came in in relief. Starting in the circle and credited with the win for Tharptown was Fischer who allowed one earned run off three hits. Cadence Kennedy came in in relief in the seventh, allowing one hit and striking out one batter. In addition to making the Lady Wildcats the champions of Franklin County, the victory improved THS’ overall record to 13-12.
The Tharptown High School varsity softball team poses for a picture with the Franklin County Tournament championship trophy. (Tharptown High School/Facebook)