VINEMONT, Ala. – The Cullman County Softball Tournament got underway at the Vinemont Sports Complex on Monday. The three quarterfinal matchups featured three shutouts, with West Point, Good Hope and Cold Springs moving on to the semifinals, which will be played tomorrow at 2 p.m.
(6) West Point 6, (3) Fairview 0
The greatest single performance of the day came in the 6-seed vs. 3-seed game, with West Point’s Kara Jones putting up a complete game no-hitter with 12 strikeouts.
Jones got run support instantly, with the Lady Warriors laying a five-run first inning on the Lady Aggies. Alissa Stephenson, Jones, Bai McSwain, Brayley Phillips and Averee Folds all recorded hits as West Point jumped out to the quick and sizable lead.
In the top of the third, the Warriors tacked on their final run after Ava Pruett led off with a single, stole second, was advanced to third on a hit from Jones and made it home safely on a groundout.
Fairview’s offense failed to gain much traction, with four of their seven frames marred by three up, three down innings by Jones and the West Point defense. Their only real threat to score came in the fifth when Jalee Griggs made it on safely on a dropped third strike, then advanced to third throughout the next three at bats. Jones put an end to the scoring hopes by drawing a pop out.
At the plate, West Point was led by Folds and Stephenson, who both recorded two hits.
No. 6 West Point will face no. 7 Cold Springs tomorrow in the semifinals at 2 p.m.
(5) Good Hope 2, (4) Vinemont 0
In another great pitching performance, Good Hope’s Molly Benefield put up six three-batter innings, holding Vinemont’s offense to just two hits and zero walks in seven innings of action.
Tori Vines didn’t allow much offense from the Raiders either, but one swing in the bottom of the sixth inning decided the game. With the score deadlocked at zero, Good Hope’s Lizzy Steed and Kylee Smith got on with two straight singles. The Raiders were the first in the game with two straight batters to reach safely, and soon after, the first to score. Second baseman Campbell Koch was up to bat next, and delivered the deciding moment of the afternoon with a line-drive double to right field that cleared the bases.
Despite both Bailey Howard and Arleigh Thomason doubling to lead the Eagles off in the top of the seventh, Benefield earned outs on the next three batters to strand the runners and seal the game.
In seven innings, Benefield blanked Vinemont and struck out a whopping 12 batters. Vines had a solid game on the mound too, only giving up five hits and two runs while striking out four.
At the plate, Koch’s two-RBI double was the game-winner in a 1-2 day at the plate. Good Hope’s Steed went 2-3 at the plate, scoring one of their two runs.
The fifth-ranked Raiders will face no. 1 Hanceville, who had a first round bye, tomorrow at 2 p.m.
(7) Cold Springs 21, (2) Holly Pond 0
The Lady Eagles got off to a hot start, with Sydney Ingram driving in the first of three runs in the first inning with a hard grounder to center field. Peyton Kennedy then took the mound for Cold Springs and recorded the first of an incredible four-inning performance to blank the Broncos.
Cold Springs’ offense couldn’t be stopped in the second. Line drives flew around the field, as did errant throws, with Holly Pond’s defense giving up an additional ten runs in the top of the second.
After a three up, three down inning from the Lady Eagles in the top of the third, they added another eight runs in the fourth to put the finishing touches on a dominant 21-0 win.
Kennedy’s day on the mound ended with just two hits given up, zero earned runs and seven strikeouts. On offense, Cold Springs was led by Sydney Ingram, who went 3-5 with a double and drove in three runners. Another great performance at the plate came from Kotie Calvert, who drove in a game-high four runs in her 2-3 day.
No. 7 Cold Springs moves on to face no. 6 West Point tomorrow at 2 p.m. in the semifinals.
