The high school softball state tournament got started Monday in Oxford, with Classes 4A and 6A getting things kicked off.
Each class played three sets of games (too many for one day, but let’s revisit this topic next week), eliminating four teams, locking up one state championship participant, and leaving three to compete for the other state final berth.
Orange Beach is aiming for an unprecedented sixth consecutive state championship and won all three games Monday. But the Makos did get pushed a little by Plainview before breaking things open in the final couple innings. It will still be a tall, tall task to beat them twice tomorrow.
Most people know about Ava Hodo, Katie King and Teagan Revette, as the future SEC players headline the stacked Orange Beach lineup. But MK McMullan was the star for the Makos on Monday, as she opened the tournament with a no-hitter over West Limestone.
West Limestone deserves credit for surviving the first day. The Wildcats are making their first state tournament appearance in more than 20 years, but Katie Lyn Kyle matched McMullan pitch for pitch in that Orange Beach contest.
The 4A title game will be Tuesday at roughly 2:15 p.m., with either West Limestone, Plainview or American Christian needing to beat Orange Beach twice.
In 6A, Helena is headed back to the state championship game after winning its first one last spring. The Huskies’ bats were red hot to say the least and they are sitting pretty, awaiting either Saraland, Hartselle or Spain Park. The championship game is set to begin Tuesday around 5:45 p.m.
The 6A bracket got turned upside down from the start, with Spain Park knocking off No. 1 Hartselle. With Helena beating Wetumpka, that put Wetumpka and Hartselle against each other in an elimination game. Hartselle won that pitcher’s duel 1-0, as Aubree Peak threw a complete game gem.
Saraland’s win over Oxford also got the day off to a stirring start, as the game went 12 innings. Oxford’s Jayla Jackson threw all 12 innings in a great effort, while Saraland’s top two pitchers each essentially threw the equivalent of a full game. Myleigh Dobbins threw more than 17 innings on the day and will likely take the ball Tuesday without hesitation.
Two other coaches also deserve special shoutouts by taking their teams on journeys that should leave them with nothing but pride. West Morgan’s Morgan Weatherwax rallied her Rebels from a 1-10 start to a state tournament berth, and only a seventh-inning Plainview rally kept them from surviving to the second day.
Gardendale had the odds stacked against it all season, but Kyndall White continues to keep the Rockets in the mix each and every year. She’s got something cooking, too, so don’t think they’re about to fade away any time soon.
Tuesday will be a busy day at Choccolocco Park, with 4A and 6A finishing up and 1A and 5A getting started.
Class 6A
Wetumpka 4, Gardendale 1
Lalah Culpepper (W): 7 IP, 6 H, 1 R, 5 K
Helena 13, Athens 3
Henley Traywick (H): HR, 2 RBIs
Spain Park 7, Hartselle 4
Jaley Young (SP): 7 IP, 4 R (3 ER), 7 K
Aubree Peak (H): 5.2 IP, 2 R (1 ER), 4 K
Saraland 5, Oxford 3 (F/12)
Laken Bryan (S): 6 IP, 4 H, 3 R (2 ER), 6 K
Myleigh Dobbins (S): 6 IP, 3 H, 0 R, 4 K
Jayla Jackson (O): 12 IP, 5 R (3 ER)
Helena 10, Wetumpka 0
Lily Sanderson: 3-3, 3B, RBI
Lily Hensley: 5 IP, 1 H, 0 R, 8 K
Saraland 3, Spain Park 2
Kyla Reed (S): Go-ahead hit, 3-4, 2 RBIs
Myleigh Dobbins (S): 7 IP, 3 H, 2 R (0 ER), 5 K
Klara Thompson (SP): HR, RBI
Gardendale 9, Athens 7
Emma Deck (G): 4.1 IP, 2 R (1 ER)
Jazz Davis (A): 3-4, 3B, 3 RBIs
Rayne Brewer (A): 3-4, 2 2Bs
Paisley Howell (A): 3-3, RBI
Hartselle 17, Oxford 1
Katie Norgard (H): 3-4, 2B, 3B, 3 RBIs
LC Raley (H): 3-3, 3 RBIs
Aubrey Mize (H); 2-4, 3 RBIs
Addison Chudy (H): 3 IP, 1 R
Spain Park 7, Gardendale 3
Abby King (SP): 2-4, HR, 2 RBIs
Chloe Wade (SP): 3-4, 2B
Jaley Young (SP): 6 IP, 4 H, 0 R
Emerson Murrell (G): 3-4, 2 RBIs
Hartselle 1, Wetumpka 0
Aubree Peak: 7 IP, 5 H, 0 R, 6 K
Lalah Culpepper (W): 6 IP, 3 H, 1 R, 5 K
Helena 6, Saraland 3
Tatum Cooper (H): 3-4, 2B, HR, 4 RBIs
Macie Brashears (H): 3-4, 2 2Bs
Hayden Traywick (H): 3-4
AC Cole (S): 2B, HR, 3 RBIs
Class 4A
Orange Beach 2, West Limestone 0
MK McMullan (OB): 7 IP, 0 H, 0 R, 7 K
Katie Lyn Kyle (WL): 6 IP, 4 H, 2 R (1 ER), 8 K
American Christian 2, Hamilton 1
Raegan Morrison (ACA): 2 RBIs
Maddie Rogers (ACA): 7 IP, 4 H, 1 R (0 ER)
Molly Kay Sandlin (H): 6 IP, 2 R (0 ER), 7 K
West Morgan 14, Munford 3
Chasity Rikard (WM): 2-2, HR, 3 RBIs; 5 IP, 8 K
Chloe Pickette (M): 2 2Bs
Plainview 10, Geneva 0
Ellie Fleming (P): 3-4, 2B, 3B, 2 RBIs; 5 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 7 K
Orange Beach 12, American Christian 0
Taylor Poland (OB): 2 2Bs, RBI
Ava Hodo (OB): 3-4, 2B, 4 RBIs
Lilly Justice (OB): 3 IP, 0 R
Plainview 6, West Morgan 5
Ellie Fleming: Walk-off 2B, 3-4, 3B, 3 RBIs
AnnaLee Shrader: 3-4, 2 3Bs, 2 RBIs
West Limestone 3, Hamilton 0
Lilee Legg (WL): 3-3, 2B, RBI
Katie Lyn Kyle (WL): 3.1 IP, 2 H, 0 R, 6 K
Anna Hardiman (WL): 3.2 IP, 4 H, 0 R, 6 K
Munford 17, Geneva 5
Brooklyn Pressley (M): 2-4, HR, 4 RBIs
Addyson Britt (M): 3-5, 2B, 2 RBIs
Chloe Pickette (M); 3-4, 2B, RBI
Madison Arnold (M(: 3-5, 2 RBIs
West Limestone 6, West Morgan 1
Anna Hardiman (WL): 7 IP, 1 R
American Christian 9, Munford 0
EK Champion (ACA): 3-5, RBI
Haylee Logan (ACA): 3-4, RBI
Sydney Johnson (ACA): 7 IP, 6 H, 0 R, 4 K
Orange Beach 11, Plainview 2
Taylor Poland (OB): 2 3Bs, 4 RBIs
Addy Oldham (OB): 3-4, 2B, RBI
Teagan Revette (OB): 3-4, RBI
MK McMullan (OB): 7 IP, 2 R (1 ER)
Abby Williams (P): 4-4, RBI
