THURSDAY’S EAST CENTRAL SOFTBALL REGIONAL ROUNDUP: Six-run sixth-inning rally lifts Cedar Bluff over Ragland, on to first state softball tournament

The Cedar Bluff Lady Tigers are headed to the Class 1A state softball tournament for the first time in school history as the second East Central Regional qualifier following a 10-8 decision over Ragland Thursday night in Montgomery. Photo by Shannon Fagan,

MONTGOMERY – Cedar Bluff softball coach Garrett Crane purposely set his schedule this season to be tough. Despite taking a lot of losing lumps, he knew it would benefit the Lady Tigers at the end of their season, and now it has.

After losing on Friday to Appalachian 13-9 in the Class 1A East Central Regional qualifer game, Cedar Bluff used a six-run sixth-inning rally against Ragland to take the lead for good in a 10-8 victory that sends the Lady Tigers to Oxford’s Choccolocco Park.

It’s the first time in school history Cedar Bluff (13-24-1) has ever qualified for the state tournament.

“We’ve set this goal from the beginning,” Crane said. “We set our schedule this way. We play this kind of tough competition all throughout the season for this very moment. I’m just so dang proud of these girls and these coaches. They put in the time and the work, but we’re not done though. We’ve still got unfinished business.

“We’re excited. We’re going to enjoy it and soak it in. We’re excited for our school and our community for earning this opportunity for Cedar Bluff.”

Speaking of earning the opportunity, Crane handed the ball to sophomore Reece Patterson to earn the Lady Tigers’ most crucial win of the season, and she delivered.

“I knew if I threw hard and just hit my spots we could be able to make it and we did,” Patterson said. “We just knew we had to play a lot better defense and we did that. We had to keep our bats hot and hit from top to bottom in the timely situations.

“It feels so good. I’m so excited. Hopefully we can keep winning and go deep at state.”

“She had the fresher arm (between Patterson and junior Jordyn Walker), but they’re both our equal ones and have been all year long,” Crane said. “Anytime they’ve been asked to come up for a big moment, they’ve both been there.

“The fielding behind Reece was absolutely super. She filled it up all night. I’m absolutely thrilled and pumped for her. She’s faced adversity, and had a little trouble today, but fought through to the other side. I’m just excited for her.”

Ragland put the pressure on the Lady Tigers, but each time they did, Cedar Bluff responded.

The Lady Purple Devils scored two runs in the bottom of the first, but Cedar Bluff scratched across three in the top of the second. Ragland regained the lead with two more runs in the third, but the Lady Tigers tied the game at 4 with a run in the top of the fourth.

Ragland appeared as if it would pull away in the bottom of the fourth and fifth innings. They took a 7-4 advantage, but the Lady tigers dug in during the top of the sixth by sending 11 batters to the plate and scored six runs to take the lead for good.

Mattie Payne and Emma Haney had the big hits of the sixth inning. They both delivered two-run singles. Jordyn Walker and Haley Allen added run-scoring singles. Allen led off the inning with a double to left to get things going.

Haney and Caitlin Slayton led the Lady Tigers at the plate with three hits apiece. Allen finished with two hits.

“That was the turning point,” Crane said of the sixth. “We got the bases loaded and had no outs. We talked about continuing to pass the stick. That’s our mentality, getting on from a walking standpoint, a base knock, just doing the little things and continuing to pass the stick mentality of us and we.”

But Ragland didn’t go down without a fight. The Lady Devils scored a run in the bottom of the seventh with two outs, but Patterson got Addison Campbell to ground out to Payne at short.

Then the Lady Tiger celebration ensued.

“We’ve never been before,” Walker said. “Ever since seventh grade we’ve wanted to go. This year I feel like we have all the right pieces.
“When we lost to Appalachian, we knew there was another way we could go. We knew we had another path. It’s really a dream come true. I think going (to state), we’re all going to be pretty excited.”

Appalachian 13, Cedar Bluff 9

MONTGOMERY – Jordyn Walker homered twice, walked three times and drove in four runs, but it wasn’t enough as Cedar Bluff fell to Appalachian 13-9 in the Class 1A East Central Regional winners bracket on Thursday at Montgomery’s Lagoon Park.

Walker also suffered the loss for the Lady tigers. She allowed just one earned run on eight hits with nine walks and six strikeouts.

Mattie Payne also homered, singled, walked twice, scored two runs and drove in two more. Harlie Nelson also collected a pair of hits, including a double, with a run and a RBI. Caitlin Slayton was 2-for-4 with two runs. Reece Patterson posted a hit and a RBI. Emma Haney had a hit and scored a run. Mary Sausville added a hit and Haley Allen walked.

Class 2A East Central Regional
Sand Rock 3, Vincent 2 (10 innings)

MONTGOMERY – EllaGrace Hood’s walk-off hit in the bottom of the 10th inning scored Jadyn Foster from third to lift the Sand Rock Lady Wildcats to a 3-2 softball victory over Vincent in the Class 2A East Central Regional winners bracket on Thursday.

Foster doubled and reached third on an error to lead off the 10th. She also had a home runs, scored twice and drove in a pair of runs.

Hood earned the win after working six no-hit innings of relief for Foster with 10 strikeouts.

Foster also struck out 10 batters in the circle. She gave up two unearned runs on three hits.

Maggie Hester went 2-for-3 at the plate with a double. Rylin St. Clair and Sherina Foster were both 2-for-4. Maggie Tinsley finished with a hit.
Sand Rock faces Spring Garden in the winners bracket final on Friday at 12:15 p.m.

Sand Rock 4, Locust Fork 2

MONTGOMERY – Sand Rock rallied from an early deficit to take a 4-2 win over Locust Fork Thursday in the Class 2A East Central Softball Regional opener for both teams.

Katelyn St. Clair went 2-for-4 with two RBIs for the Lady Wildcats. Lindsey Chambers was 2-for-3 with a RBI. Sherina Foster also went 2-for-3 with two runs.

Sammi Parker doubled and drove in a run. Maggie Tinsley walked and scored a run.

Jadyn Foster captured the win after giving up two earned runs on six hits with no walks and 10 strikeouts.

Spring Garden 8, Randolph County 1

MONTGOMERY – Avery Steward went a perfect 4-for-4 at the plate with two doubles and two RBIs, leading the Spring Garden Lady Panthers to an 8-1 Class 2A East Central Softball Regional victory over Randolph County in winners bracket action on Thursday.

Abbie Woods went 2-for-4 with a double, a run and a RBI. Kylie-Grace Wood was also 2-for-4 with a double, a run and a RBI. Ace Austin went 2-for-4 with a run. Maggie Jarrett added a pair of hits and a RBI. Kayley Kirk contributed a hit and a RBI. Abbey Steward finished with a hit.

Abbey Steward picked up the win in the circle. She surrendered an earned run on four hits with a walk and nine strikeouts.

Spring Garden faces Sand Rock on Friday at 12:15 p.m. in the winners bracket final.

Spring Garden 6, Cleveland 0

MONTGOMERY – Abbey Steward went 2-for-4 at the plate with a double and two RBIs. She also earned the win in the circle after shutting out Cleveland 6-0 in Class 2A East Central Regional softball action Thursday.

Steward scattered three hits, a walk and eight strikeouts for the Lady Panthers.

Kylie-Grace Wood homered and singled. Avery Steward went 2-for-4 with a double, a run and a RBI. Kayley Kirk was 2-for-4 with a double, two runs and a RBI.

Maggie Jarrett went 2-for-3 with a double. Neely Welsh doubled, walked and drove in a run. Abbie Woods finished with a hit.

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