AHSAA STATE SOFTBALL: Ingram leads Alabama Christian back to state tourney; Tallassee, Elmore County eliminated

By TIM GAYLE

Throughout a trying softball season, Alabama Christian Academy senior Haley Ingram has been moved around the lineup before she finally landed in the startup role.

For the team’s best hitter and one of its top sluggers, it seems like Ingram would be better suited for third or fourth in the lineup but she prefers being the leadoff batter.

“It’s my favorite,” she said. “I like to get it started. I like to lead everyone.

And as Ingram has led, the Eagles have followed. She and fellow seniors Hayley Cassidy and Rose Costanza have provided the leadership to a group that includes a pair of eighth-grade starters and a freshman that have been thrown into a prominent role on a team where there is an annual expectation of playing for a state championship. 

And the Eagles obviously have a target on their backs as the defending 4A state champions.   

“It would have been easy for them to say we’ve already got a ring,” ACA coach Chris Goodman said. “Her and Rose and Hayley Cassidy were like, ‘we’re not going out like this.’”

The losses mounted and a losing season seemed inevitable. One-run losses were the norm. Frustrated faces were easy to spot on players accustomed to winning.

“It is very frustrating,” Ingram admitted. “It’s tough. We try our hardest, no matter what, and we never give up, even when we did lose. Coach Goodman always told us the only thing that mattered was the area (tournament), the regionals and making it to state and that’s what we did.”

A turning point came late in the season when the Eagles played in the Hoover Classic. Coming off three consecutive area losses, Goodman made one last change, moving catcher Skylar Crews to third base, second baseman Annabelle Pugh to catcher and right fielder Katie Chappell to second base. 

“It boosted (our confidence) up a lot,” Ingram said. “I think where everyone is right now looks a whole lot better from where we first were.”

Pugh solidified the position behind the plate, while Crews (.208 to .318) and Chappell (.342 to .409) experienced a remarkable change in their offensive production at their new positions. ACA, as a result, went 4-0 in the tournament, including a 5-3 win over Class 7A state tournament participant Hoover.

“We made the defensive changes and that really sparked us,” Goodman said. “And you’re always looking for those signature wins. We went 4-0 and beat Hoover, who qualified for 7A. All of sudden, these girls were like, this lineup works, we can play now.”

It all starts with Ingram, who sets the tone for the game with her bat and her feet. A career .429 hitter, she sports a remarkable .576 on-base percentage this year, along with 28 stolen bases (in 20 attempts) that often puts her in scoring position for the rest of the lineup.

“She gets a great jump at first and has great speed,” Goodman said. “If we get her on, we feel like we’re going to get her to second and sometimes we’ll get her to third. If she hits a double in the gap, we may bring her to third. It just puts more pressure on the defense.”

Ingram is batting .530 this season with 15 doubles and just 10 strikeouts. A four-year starter, she has already signed with Faulkner University and can play either outfield (she’s a center fielder for ACA) or first base. 

“Faulkner got a gem when they got her,” Goodman said. “She works hard but she is naturally talented. We talk about five-tool players in baseball and she’s got four of them. If her arm was as strong as the rest of her game…”

The other four “tools” include speed, power, hitting for average and fielding. Her speed and fielding ability is why Goodman plays her in center field.

“She gets a great jump on balls in the outfield,” he said. “If it goes up, we count it an out.”

ACA (25-19) is riding a seven-game winning streak and has now qualified for 23 of the last 24 state tournaments, including 12 consecutive trips as a Class 4A program. In the 4A tournament, the Eagles have finished fifth twice, fourth twice and third twice, reaching the state championship game in the other six appearances. 

“I feel very confident,” Ingram said. “Rose is a really good pitcher and I think she can get it done. And our hitting has gotten a lot better.”

Goodman, who is retiring this week, said he wanted to return in 2021 for Ingram’s final season. His star pupil, likewise, has said she is driven by a desire to send Goodman out with another championship.

“We want to win it all,” she said. “We’ll take it game by game and hopefully get it done short and not have to play (through the loser’s bracket) like we did two years ago. But hopefully we’ll get it done.” 

Tallassee, Elmore County fall in 5A

OXFORD -- Tallassee and Elmore County were eliminated from the Alabama High School Athletic Association state softball tournament on Tuesday.

Tallassee (34-13-4), making the school’s first-ever appearance in the fast pitch tournament, lost to Ardmore, 5-4, in the opener and was eliminated in an eight-inning loss to Alexandria, 3-2.

Elmore County (43-15), making the school’s third appearance in the state tournament, defeated Hayden, 2-1, in the opener, but lost to Satsuma (4-3) and Alexandria (9-5) in the double-elimination tournament.

Satsuma (34-9) advanced to the championship game and will play for the 5A title on Wednesday at 1:30 p.m. Alexandria, Ardmore and Faith Academy remain alive in the elimination round that resumes on Wednesday at 9 a.m.

In the opener for Tallassee, Ardmore scored two in the seventh inning and then held on for the win. The Tigers took a 3-2 lead into the fifth before Ardmore scored twice. Tallassee tied the score at 4-4 on Chole Davidson’s triple.

After Ardmore took the lead in the top of the seventh, Tallassee got a couple of runners in scoring position. A sacrifice fly by Lexi Love score Chole Baynes but Abbe Davis flied out to end the threat.

Davidson went 2 for 4 with an RBI and Baynes went 1 for 2 and scored three runs.

In the second game, the Tigers fell behind 1-0 but took the lead in the fifth on Baynes’ infield hit that scored two. But Alexandria tied the game in its half of the fifth and then won the game in the eighth on a two-out triple by Addie Jennings.

Love finished with two hits to lead Tallasse, which finished the season with a record of 34-13.

Elmore County won its tournament opener, 2-1 against Hayden, as Aubrey Allen allowed just three hits and struck out 11 in seven innings. The Panthers scored both their runs in the first inning and held on for the win.

In a second-round game, Satsuma scored four runs in the first and held on for the win. Ashlyn Stewart had a two-run double and Bre McDonald and Anna Jo Bonds had RBI singles for a 4-0 lead.

The Panthers drew within one when Kelley Green singled, Anna Catherine Segrest singled, Madelyn Becker followed with an RBI double and Segrest would later score on a bases-loaded walk but a strikeout ended the threat.

Gattis struck out seven in a complete-game performance later in the day to help Alexandria to a 9-5 win over Elmore County, eliminating the Panthers. Alexandria scored three runs in the first for the early lead, then used a four-run fifth to put the game out of reach.

Becker and Green had three hits each to lead Elmore County and Becker drove in a pair of runs.