BLOUNTSVILLE, Ala. – After splitting their opening matchups with Susan Moore and J.B. Pennington Friday, the Vinemont Lady Eagles returned to Blountsville for this year’s 3A, Area 13 Tournament Monday night. In their first game of the day, the Eagles faced Susan Moore for a rematch in an elimination game and they handled the Bulldogs 11-3 to punch their ticket to next week’s Regionals.
Cullman, Good Hope and Holly Pond were all back in action Monday as well. After defeating East Lawrence in their first game of the day, the Lady Raiders’ postseason run came to an end with a loss to Priceville. The Lady Bearcats returned home after dropping both their matchups with Mortimer Jordan, but Cullman will still advance to play at next week’s North Regional due to Pinson Valley’s forfeiture.
Holly Pond and Cold Springs traveled to West End and Sumiton Christian for their respective area tournaments as well. The Broncos and Eagles both dropped their opening games to Cleveland and Locust Fork, respectively and will both be back in action for elimination games Tuesday.
Vinemont 11 – Susan Moore 3 (3A, Area 13)
An RBI single off the bat of Maci Smith drove in Jadyn Knott and gave Vinemont a 1-0 lead in the top of the second. Later in the inning, Alaina Sandlin sent an RBI single back up the middle to plate Brooklyn Knott and make it a 2-0 game going into the third. Susan Moore trimmed the lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the third, but the Lady Eagles responded in the top of the fourth.
Brooklyn Knott led off the inning with a double into center field and Emma Dortch drove her in to score with an RBU single one pitch later, stretching the lead to 3-1. Vinemont put things away in the top of the fifth, stringing together five hits and putting five runs on the board to make it an 8-1 game. An RBI double from Brooklyn Knott extended the lead to 9-1 in the top of the sixth. Susan Moore was able to cut the lead to 9-3 in the bottom half of the inning, but the Eagles got those runs back in the top of the seventh with a 2-run double from Haley Millwood, capping an 11-3 win for Vinemont.
Brooklyn Knott and Sandlin led the way at the plate with three hits and a pair of RBIs each. Katelyn Evans added three hits in the win and Dortch (one RBI), Arleigh Thomason (one RBI) and Callie Millwood each posted a pair of hits for Vinemont.
Mortimer Jordan 4 – Cullman 0 (6A, Area 13)
The first game of the day between Mortimer Jordan and Cullman was scoreless for three innings until the Blue Devils took a 1-0 lead in the fourth. Mortimer Jordan tacked on two more runs in the fifth and another in the sixth, but the Bearcats were unable to answer the Blue Devils and Cullman dropped game one 4-0.
Abby Maples led the way with a pair of hits in the loss and Dracen Bates, Hattie Graham, Reese Hopper and Taylor Au each posted hits as well.
Mortimer Jordan 3 – Cullman 2 (6A, Area 13)
The Lady Bearcats started game two by loading the bases in the top of the first and Hattie Graham drew a walk to bring Taylor Au in from third and give Cullman a 1-0 lead. Dracen Bates punched an RBI single into left field to score Samantha Johnson and make it a 2-0 game going into the second inning.
Neither offense was able to get much going until Mortimer Jordan cut the lead to 2-1 in the fourth and the Blue Devils plated a pair of runs in the fifth to move in front 3-2. Cullman was unable to respond to Mortimer Jordan’s late push and the Bearcats’ season came to an end with a 3-2 loss.
Bates (two hits) and Graham each posted an RBI in the loss. Abby Maples, Reese Hopper and Kynlei Storey each added a hit for Cullman.
Good Hope 6 – East Lawrence 3 (4A, Area 13)
After a scoreless first inning, East Lawrence took a 1-0 lead in the top of the second. The Lady Raiders moved ahead 2-1 in the bottom of the third when Haley Lay drove Lizzy Steed and Kylee Smith in to score with a double into center field. Good Hope added two more runs to its lead in the fourth with another 2-run double off the bat of Campbell Koch. East Lawrence trimmed the lead to 4-2 in the top of the fifth, but the Eagles couldn’t come any closer than that.
The Lady Raiders pulled away for good in the sixth when Natalie Miller scored on a passed ball and Lay barreled up another RBI single to wrap up a 6-3 win.
Lay posted three hits and three RBIs in the win. Koch (one hit) finished with a pair of RBIs and Steed added a pair of hits for Good Hope.
Priceville 4 – Good Hope 1 (4A, Area 13)
After scoreless first inning, Priceville jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second. The Bulldogs stretched their lead to 4-0 in the third and Good Hope was able to cut the deficit to 4-1 with an RBI single from Addyson Burgess in the fifth but that was all the offense the Lady Raiders could muster and their season came to an end with a 4-1 loss.
Molly Benefield finished 3-for-3 at the plate in the loss, Natalie Miller posted a pair of hits and Burgess recorded a hit and an RBI.
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