PREP SOFTBALL: Houston Academy clinches area title with win over Slocomb (2024)

Staff Reports

Houston Academy beat Slocomb 8-2 on Thursday in high school softball action at the Westgate Softball Complex to clinch the Class 4A, Area 2 regular-season title.

The Class 4A No. 2 ranked Raiders will host the area postseason tournament.

Alabama signee Braya Hodges struck out 12 and allowed only four hits in going all seven innings for HA.

Offensively, Mary Suzan Aman had three hits, while Emily Adams, Ansleigh Smith and Jadyn Rausch hit a homer each. Adams and Rausch both had a two-run shot and Smith hit a solo blast. Adams and Smith both finished with two hits.

Emily Maddox had two doubles and a run batted in and Mallory Magrino had two hits with an RBI.

Gracie Ward had a solo homer for Slocomb and scored the RedTops second run on a wild pitch.

Opp 2, G.W. Long 1 (8 innings): Class 3A No. 3 ranked Opp scored a run in the bottom of the eighth inning to end a great pitching duel against Class 2A No. 9 G.W. Long.

In Opp’s eighth, Addison Moseley was placed on second via the international extra-inning rule. She advanced to third on a wild pitch. After Maddie Wilson was hit by a pitch, Rylee Kate Thrash hit a grounder to the second baseman, who misplayed it, allowing Moseley to score.

Opp’s Reese Cauley and G.W. Long’s Anna Claire Free were outstanding in the pitching circle. Cauley, an AUM signee, struck out 14 over eight innings in pitching a three-hit shutout. Free struck out eight and allowed only two runs on four hits over 7 1/3 innings.

Opp’s four hits came from Bradleigh Lanier (double) and from Jaidyn Ivey, Taylor Adams and Crislyn Birge (single each).

Free, Emma-Grace Carraway and Kaylie Foster had a single each for G.W. Long.

Rehobeth 12, Dothan 7: Rehobeth scored seven runs in the bottom of the fourth inning and four runs in the fifth to overtake an early Dothan lead in earning the win.

The Rebels hit three homers on the day – two-run shots from Addy Kirkland and Shelby Davis during the seven-run fourth and a solo blast by Kryslin Martin in the sixth inning.

Davis finished the game with two hits and three runs batted in and both Martin and Baleigh Nowlin had two hits with one run batted in. Jazzy Andrews had a two-run double and both Mattox Richards and Maddie Williams had a single and RBI each.

Nowlin went all seven innings, giving up eight hits and seven runs, only four runs earned. She had two strikeouts.

For Dothan, Kinley German had a three-run homer and Laney Calhoun had a run-scoring single and an RBI sacrifice fly. Sara Harris had a team-high two hits.

Enterprise 8, Prattville 1: Lilia Faulk belted a grand slam homer to help Enterprise pull away from a 3-1 lead in the seventh inning to win the Class 7A, Area 3 game.

Madeline Tindol and Skylar Frey led Enterprise with three hits each and both drove in one run. Addy Whaley and Olivia Palfreeman both had two hits with Whaley driving in a run.

Frey, Tindol and Kennedy Ward combined on a four hitter. Frey, the starter, went two innings, allowing three hits and a run. Tindol worked the three middle innings, not allowing a hit or run and Ward pitched the last two innings, allowing one hit. Frey struck out one and Tindol two.

Carroll 13, Charles Henderson 9: Carroll seized a 12-3 lead before the Trojans made it closer.

Sarabeth Henry had three hits and a run batted in and Makynzye Bonner had a two-run homer and drove in three overall for Carroll. Ashleigh Peters and Natalie Draper both had a hit and an RBI.

For CHHS, Molly Garrett had two doubles and four runs batted in and Mary West had two doubles and three runs batted in. Calleigh Compton added a hit and an RBI.

Dale County 8, Geneva 7: Jaslyn Smiths singled to right field with two outs in the seventh to score Janiya Osborne for a walk-off Warrior win over the Panthers in Class 4A, Area 2 action.

Dale County rallied from 7-0 down with seven runs in the bottom of the sixth before winning it in the seventh.

Shayleigh Whitman had three hits for Dale County and both Ella Brooke Barefield and Bre Wilkerson had two hits with a run batted in. Madyson McLain also had two hits. Ainyah Stokes had a double and two RBI and Leah Grace Snellgrove, Allie Buckelew and Smith all had a hit and RBI.

For Geneva, Kiersten Lewis and Kaden Ward both had three hits with a run batted in and Hayden Howell and Isabelle Padgett both had a hit and RBI.

Whitman was Dale County’s winning pitcher, working the last 1 2/3 innings and allowing two hits and one unearned run.

Ashford 5, Northside Methodist 2: Amiyah Lewis and Emma Ard combined to limit Northside Methodist Academy to five hits and two runs, and the Yellow Jacket offense scored four runs in the fourth.

Lewis went three innings, striking out three and allowing a hit and both runs. Ard worked the last four innings, pitching four-hit shutout ball with no strikeouts.

Lewis had two hits and Carsyn McCardle had a two-run double to lead the Ashford offense. Shelby Pate added an RBI ground out.

For NMA, Mackenzie Kirkland had two hits, while Marah Stuckey had a run-scoring single and Amelia Ivey a bases-loaded RBI walk.

Providence Christian 19, Daleville 4: Both Alyse Deer and Kaitlyn Russ had inside-the-park three-run homers and Carlee Smith had a three-run triple and an RBI ground out to power Providence Christian.

Madilyn Walding, who had two hits, and Maddie Norris both had an RBI triple, while Ella Houston and Annsleigh Galloway both had a run-scoring single. Jane Claire Mobley added an RBI sacrifice fly.

Mobley pitched all three innings for the win, allowing four runs, but only one earned, and one hit, while striking out four.

Zion Chapel 15, Brantley 5: All nine batters had a hit for Zion Chapel’s offense, led by Kaylee Hodge with four hits, including a two-run triple, and Riley Bannin with three hits and four runs batted in.

Bannin hit a three-run homer and Amber Kidd and Madison Meeks hit back-to-back solo homers. Kidd and Meeks both finished with two hits with Kidd driving in two runs and Meeks one run. Emily Rhodes had two doubles and three runs batted in and Aubrey Bassett had two hits with one RBI. Sydney Boothe added a hit and an RBI.

Boothe was the winning pitcher, striking out seven over 4 1/3 innings and allowing five runs, four earned.

For Brantley, Anna Claire Little and Alex Grimes had two hits each with Little driving in two runs and Grimes one. Mary Driggers belted a solo homer.

Luverne 11, Ariton 7: Nya Allen had two hits and three runs batted in, Brianna Acahua two hits and two RBI and Beth Dixon had two hits to lead Ariton in the loss.

Reese Peters added a double and RBI for the Purple Cats.

Lee-Scott 8, Abbeville Christian 6: After Abbeville Chirstian surged into the lead with a five-run top of the sixth inning, the Warriors rallied for the win with three runs in last half of the inning, sparked by back-to-back homers.

Cassie Braddy had two hits for ACA. Alli Kate Causey had a two-run double and an RBI sacrifice fly and Hope Kennedy hit a two-run homer.

Macon-East 15-1, Lakeside School 5-0: Lakeside School lost a doubleheader to No. 2 ranked Macon-East, falling 15-5 and 10-0.

In the first game, Addy Helms had a double and two runs batted in and Carlee Davis had a double and RBI to lead the Lakeside offense. Addison Phillips also drove in a run.

In game two, Lakeside had only one hit – a single by Phillips.