PREP SOFTBALL: Dothan Diamond Classic semifinals set (2024)

Staff Reports

Two late comebacks completed the semifinal pairings for the Dothan Diamond Classic softball tournament on Friday night at James Oates Park.

Dothan, behind an eight-run fifth, bided for an upset over Class 2A No. 2 ranked Houston Academy, but the Raiders overcame a three-run deficit over the last three innings and scored two runs on an error in the bottom of the seventh rally past the Wolves 10-9.

Enterprise, meanwhile, scored three runs in the top of the seventh inning to overcome a two-run deficit then held off Slocomb in the bottom half for a 7-6 win.

The other two quarterfinal games were blowouts as Rehobeth routed G.W. Long 16-0 and Wicksburg downed Pike Road 9-0.

Saturday’s 11 a.m. semifinal round pits Enterprise against Rehobeth and Wicksburg against Houston Academy. The two winners meet in the tournament championship at 1 p.m. The losers play a consolation game, also at 1 p.m.

All four semifinalists won two games on Friday. In addition to the quarterfinal wins, Houston Academy beat Geneva 12-0, Wicksburg downed Ashford 9-1, Rehobeth rallied past Ariton 10-6 and Enterprise beat Northside Methodist 10-0.

A new champion will be crowned as last year’s winner, Geneva, was eliminated in the second round by Houston Academy.

Prior to the semifinal contests, the annual Kasey Cooper Home Run Derby will be held, starting at 9 a.m.

Houston Academy 10, Dothan 9: Dothan surged to a 9-6 lead behind its eight-run fifth inning.

Houston Academy, though, chopped at the deficit, scoring a run each in the bottom of the fifth and sixth innings to pull to within in.

Dothan threatened to ease the margin back in the top of the seventh with a walk to Ashlynn Sasser and a single by Sara Harris. However, Raider pitcher Braya Hodges got three straight outs to get of the inning.

Houston Academy’s seventh started with Emily Maddox reaching on an error. After a strikeout, Mallory Magrino singled to left, putting runners at first and second. Maddie Jerkins grounded out to first for the second out as the runners moved to second and third.

That brought up Keira Stulginski, the No. 9 hitter in the HA lineup. She fell behind 0-2 in the count before taking a ball. The next pitch hit Stulginski, loaded the bases for the Raiders’ lead-off hitter Mary Suzan Aman, who was 4-for-4 in the game.

After taking a strike, Aman hit a ground ball that was misplayed by the shortstop and two runs scored to give the Raiders the win.

In addition to Aman’s four-hit performance, Emily Adams, Emily Maddox and Magrino had two hits each for HA with Magrino driving in two runs and Adams one. Hodges had a hit and two RBI and Jadyn Rausch added a hit and RBI.

For Dothan, Jada Newman had three hits with an RBI, while Brantlee McCarthy, Savanna Kendrick and Harris had two hits each. Maylee Lancaster, Jadyn Hutchins, Makenna Descalzi and Sasser had a hit and RBI each.

Enterprise 7, Slocomb 6: Down 6-4 going to their last at-bat, the Wildcats rallied to stay alive.

After a ground out started the inning, Skylar Frey had a single and both Ansley Reeves and Addy Whaley walked to load the bases.

Olivia Palfreeman singled to left to score Sammie Neuwien, a courtesy runner for Frey, and an outfield error scored Reeves to tie the game. After a ground out, Whaley scored on a wild pitch to put EHS in front.

Slocomb had two runners on with one out in the bottom of the seventh after singles by Makenzie Morgan and Abigail Goodman, but Enterprise pitcher, Frey, got a fly out and a fielder’s choice to end it.

Frey had a big game, going 3-for-4 with a two-run homer and RBI single on offense and collecting the pitching win. She went all seven innings, allowing 11 hits and six runs with only two runs earned. She struck out three.

Four players had two hits for Slocomb – Carlee Jowers, Emma Nichols, Chloe Andrews and Goodman. Nichols had one RBI. Gracie Ward belted a two-run homer and Cieara Baker had an RBI bunt single.

Rehobeth 16, G.W. Long 0: Jazzy Andrews drove in four runs off a three-run homer and a run-scoring single and Maddie Williams had a two-run double to spark Rehobeth’s onslaught.

Addy Kirkland and Regan Valenzuela both had two hits with one run batted in and Mattox Richards had a hit and two runs batted in. Kryslin Martin added a hit and RBI.

Baleigh Nowlin pitched a three-inning, one-hit shutout with three strikeouts.

Maleah Long had a single for the lone G.W. Long hit.

Wicksburg 9, Pike Road 0: Ellie Cox struck out 19 batters and pitched a seven-inning one hit shutout with three walks in the Panther win.

Lana Carpenter drove in four runs off a two-run triple, a run-scoring single and an RBI sac fly. Kelsey Ellenburg had three hits. Natalie Cole had a two-run single and Cox added a hit and RBI.

Second-round games

Rehobeth 10, Ariton 6: Ariton led 4-1 going after three-and-a-half innings, but the Rebels scored two in the fourth and fifth to go up 5-4 before posing five runs in the sixth inning and snatch the win away.

Ariton scored two runs in the seventh to close the gap.

Rehobeth’s five-run sixth inning featured a three-run homer by Brooke Nowlin and a solo homer by Jazzy Andrews.

The Rebels hit four home runs overall, two from Andrews, who added a solo shot in the third. Addy Kirkland had a two-run homer in the fourth inning.

Regan Valenzuela and Andrews had two hits and two runs batted in and Shelby Davis had two hits for Rehobeth.

Alex Cobb went all seven innings for the pitching win, striking out six.

Lizzy Faircloth belted a grand slam homer and Beth Dixon had two hits to lead Ariton. Reese Peters added a hit and RBI.

Slocomb 20, Carroll 4: The RedTops scored 12 runs in the third and five in the fourth to overcome an early 4-1 deficit and power the four-inning win.

Molly McGowan had two hits and four runs batted in, while Carlee Jowers, Cieara Baker and Chloe Andrews all had three hits each with Andrews driving in three runs, Baker two and Jowers one. Jacie Hall had two hits, while Rachel Sanders drove in two runs and Emma Nichols had a hit and RBI.

Calie Seay was the winning pitcher, striking out three over two innings.

For Carroll, Ashleigh Peters had three hits with one RBI, JaMya Thornton had an RBI triple and Kaileigh Gardner had a run-scoring single.

Enterprise 10, Northside Methodist 0: Madeline Tindol pitched a six-inning, three-hit shutout with nine strikeouts and two walks to pace EHS.

Olivia Palfreeman belted a three-run homer and added an RBI sac fly and Lee Lott was 3-for-3 with a two-run homer to pace the Wildcat offense. Emma Barrette had two hits and two runs batted in and Tindol and Ansley Reeves had two hits each. Kinley Hutto added a hit and RBI.

Ally Holland, Kolbi Hall and Mackenzie Kirkland had a single each for the three NMA hits.

G.W. Long 12, Dale County 7: Five Rebels had two hits each in a 12-hit attack for G.W. Long.

Carlee Davis, Ally Whitehead, Aubreigh Haynes, Ansley Watson and Emma-Grace Carraway had two hits each with Davis driving in three runs, Whitehead and Haynes two each and Watson and Carraway one each.

Anna Claire Free was the winning pitcher, working 4 2/3 innings of relief. She struck out seven and allowed four hits and a run.

Leah Grace Snellgrove had two hits, one a two-run homer, and four runs batted in to lead Dale County. Aniyah Stokes added two hits and two RBI.

Houston Academy 10, Geneva 0: Emily Adams struck out 10 and pitched a five-inning, five-hit shutout for Houston Academy and had a triple and two RBI on offense.

Braya Hodges hit a two-run homer, while Ansleigh Smith had two hits and two RBI and Jadyn Rausch had two hits with one RBI. Maddie Jerkins added a hit and RBI.

Wicksburg 9, Ashford 1: Natalie Cole struck out eight and allowed only three hits and a run over seven innings and Ellie Cox had two hits and three RBI, including a two-run homer.

Lana Carpenter had two hits and a run batted in and Abbie Ellenburg had a hit with two RBI. Anleigh Wood, Chloe Joyner and Cole added a hit and RBI each.

Jalissiah Jackson had a solo homer to highlight the Ashford offense.

Dothan 19, Providence Christian 1: Dothan scored 17 runs in the second inning to pull away.

Brantlee McCarthy had three hits and three runs batted in and Jada Newman, Maylee Lancaster, Kinley German, Makenna Descalzi, Savanna Kendrick and Sara Harris had tow hits each with Germain and Descalzi driving in two runs each and Newman and Lancaster bringing home one run each.

Jada Hutchins, German and Descalzi all hit a homer.

Newman was the winning pitcher, working two of the three innings and allowing just three hits and a run, while striking out one.

Addison Russ, Ella Houston and Carlee Smith had a single each for PCS.

Pike Road 17, Brantley 9: Kennedy Cuthbert hit two solo homers, Mary Hayden Hargrove hit a two-run homer and Haley Melton had two hits and four runs batted in to lead Pike Road.

Alex Grimes had a solo homer for Brantley and Hope Richardson added a hit and RBI.

First-round games

Carroll 10, Headland 9: Carroll rallied from 8-4 down behind a five-run fourth inning and held off a late Headland rally for the first-round win.

Behind the five-run fourth, the Eagles went up 9-8. They padded the lead with a run in the top of the sixth. The Rams, though, scored once in the bottom of the sixth and loaded the bases with one out before Carroll Kaylyn Holt got two force out plays at the plate to end the threat.

Headland threatened again in the seventh inning after a two-out double by Shaylee Greathouse, but Holt got a fly out to end the game.

Holt went all seven innings, giving up 12 hits and nine runs, but only three of the runs were earned. She struck out two.

Offensively for Carroll, Ashleigh Peters, Saniya Jenkins and Sarabeth Henry all had three hits with Henry driving in two runs and Jenkins one. Makynzye Bonner had two hits and Katie Trawick had a hit and RBI.

Headland’s offense was led by Greathouse with four hits, including two triples and a double, and three runs batted in. Ava Allsup had three hits and three runs batted in and Annie Laye and Kynlee Watkins both had two hits with Laye driving in a run. Kiley Jenkins added a hit and RBI.

Ariton 8, Cottonwood 3: Caitlyn Webb had two doubles and drove in four runs to lead Ariton’s first-round win over Cottonwood.

Nya Allen added two hits, while Lizzy Faircloth had a double and RBI and Macileigh Bragg a hit and a run batted in.

Beth Dixon was the winning pitcher, entering with the Purple Cats trailing and throwing four run innings of relief. She struck out three and allowed only one run and four hits.

Karlee Lott had two hits for Cottonwood. Mischa Ward added a solo homer and Ty Nodd had an RBI ground out.

Ashford 21, Geneva County 0: Baylee Brock pitched a three-inning perfect game with four strikeouts and Ashford scored nine, seven and five runs in the three innings.

Katelynn Money had three hits and four runs batted in, Camden McCardle had two hits, one a triple, and also drove in four runs to lead Ashford. Jalissiah Jackson, Catie Kelley, Emma Ard and Loren Beth Ingalls all had two hits with Kelley driving in three runs, Ingalls two and Jackson one. Sara Brooke Cochran, Kadence Carroll and Carsyn McCardle added a hit and RBI each.

Geneva 20, Houston County 1: Isabelle Padgett pitched a three-inning one hitter with four strikeouts and the Panthers scored 12 in the first and eight in the second inning.

Ally Hendeson was 4-for-4 with two runs batted in and Macy Turner was 2-for-2 with an RBI to lead Geneva. Erika Torres, Hayden Howell and Padgett added a hit and RBI each for the Panthers, who capitalized on eight walks and eight errors.

Ayden Noblitt had the lone Houston County hit.