AISA SOFTBALL: Three River Region teams to play for state title today

Catie Self slaps a double during Lowndes Academy’s run to the championship round on Friday at Lagoon Park. (Tim Gayle)

By TIM GAYLE

The new format for the Alabama Independent School Association state softball tournament changed the event from a two-day tournament to three days, with state championship games in all three classifications on Saturday at Lagoon Park Field 6.

In Class AAA, Macon East Academy went through the double-elimination bracket undefeated and will face Lee-Scott Academy in the finals at 4:30 p.m. A win by Lee-Scott would force a second game that will immediately follow.

In Class AA, Hooper Academy went through the double-elimination bracket unbeaten and will face Abbeville Christian Academy in the finals at 1:30 p.m. A win by Abbeville Christian would force a second game that will immediately follow.

In Class A. Crenshaw Christian Academy went through the bracket undefeated and will face Lowndes Academy in the finals at 10 a.m. A win by Lowndes would force a second game that will immediately follow.

In AAA, Macon East blew a late lead, then blasted Bessemer 17-8 in extra innings, then defeated Glenwood 13-8 in its final game on Thursday. The Knights scored five runs in the first inning, five in the third and three more in the fourth to take care of the Gators. Jadah Powell went 4 for 4 and Kylee Smith went 3 for 3 to lead the Knights.

Jamya Powell went 2 for 4 and scored twice and Casey Stengell went 2 for 4 and scored three runs. For Glenwood, Simone Gillispie and Taylor Dawson both went 2 for 3, Courtney Niles went 3 for 4 with an RBI and Grace Jernigan added a two-run home run.

The Knights advanced to the championship game with an 8-6 win over Lee-Scott, scoring three runs in the seventh to break a 5-5 tie. Abigail Hardy had a two-run double in the seventh and Jadah Powell followed with an RBI double for the Knights.

Railey Langford went 2 for 3 with two RBIs and MK Harris went 2 for 4 with two RBIs for the Warriors.  

Lee-Scott is making just its second trip to the finals (losing to Glenwood in 2009), while Macon East will be seeking its ninth state title. The Knights made nine consecutive trips to the finals before last year’s two-and-out performance, the only time that has ever happened.

In AA, Hooper got off to an impressive start with an 8-0 win over Pickens. Kaylee Midkiff had a two-run double and KG Taylor added a sacrifice fly in a three-run first inning to get the Colts going. Jade Taylor went 2 for 3, Annie Bressler had a pair of doubles and Victoria Hagemann struck out eight Pirates in the win.

The Colts followed up with a 4-3 win over Edgewood as the Wildcats scored three runs in the seventh. Taylor, who went 3 for 3, doubled in the fourth, followed by an RBI single from Hannah Reed and an RBI double by Sydney Brown for a 3-0 lead. Hagemann doubled and scored on a Kaylee Midkiff single for what proved to be the game-winning run.

Hooper rolled into the finals with a 9-4 win over Abbeville Christian, scoring three runs in the first and five in the fifth. Hagemann singled and scored twice and Taylor went 3 for 4, hitting a home run in the first, an RBI single in the third and an RBI double in the fifth.

Hooper’s highest finish in the state tournament was second (to Glenwood) in 2010, the last time the Colts won more than one game in the state tournament. Abbeville is the two-time defending Class A state champion but has never finished higher than fifth (in 2007) as a AA team.

In Class A, Crenshaw opened with easy wins over Coosa Valley and North River, then won a pitchers’ duel with Lowndes 3-0. Abby Henderson held Lowndes to four hits and struck out nine, while the Rebels’ Ava Casey struck out 12 and allowed just six hits.

Crenshaw broke a scoreless tie in the second as Payton Martin walked, Maggie Mount followed with a bunt single and both runners scored on a throwing error following a bunt by Molly Martin.

The Rebels earned a rematch by beating South Choctaw 12-4, scoring six runs in the fifth to end the game on the mercy rule. Casey went 3 for 4 with an RBI and scored three times, while Catie Wallace went 2 for 4, including a two-run double in the fifth.

South Choctaw tied the game with three runs in the third and added another in the fourth as Catherine Kelly had an RBI single and Marlie Jenkins hit a two-run home run.

Crenshaw did not make the state tournament until 2008 but has missed the tournament just once since then, finishing as the Class A runner-up in 2021 and 2022. Lowndes won five state championships in 2006-2014 but hasn’t finished higher than fourth since 2016.

2023 AISA STATE SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT

CLASS A

North River Christian 4, Snook Christian 1

Crenshaw Christian 13, Coosa Valley 1

South Choctaw 18, Heritage Christian 0

Snook Christian 14, Coosa Valley 8

Crenshaw Christian 14, North River Christian 1

Lowndes Academy 11, South Choctaw 1

South Choctaw 14, Snook Christian 2

North River Christian 11, Heritage Christian 3

Crenshaw Christian 3, Lowndes Academy 0

South Choctaw 10, North River Christian 0

Lowndes Academy 12, South Choctaw 4

FINALS: Crenshaw Christian vs. Lowndes Academy, Saturday, 10 a.m. (A second game, if necessary, will immediately follow)

CLASS AA

Hooper Academy 8, Pickens Academy 0

Edgewood Academy 10, Patrician Academy 5

Chambers Academy 4, Southern Academy 2

Abbeville Christian 10, Jackson Academy 2

Patrician Academy 5, Pickens Academy 1

Southern Academy 5, Jackson Academy 3

Hooper Academy 4, Edgewood Academy 3

Abbeville Christian 11, Chambers Academy 1

Patrician Academy 11, Chambers Academy 10

Southern Academy 6, Edgewood Academy 5

Hooper Academy 9, Abbeville Christian 4

Patrician Academy 7, Southern Academy 5

Abbeville Christian 7, Patrician Academy 2

FINALS: Hooper Academy vs. Abbeville Christian Academy, Saturday, 1:30 p.m. (A second game, if necessary, will immediately follow)

CLASS AAA

Glenwood School 14, Fort Dale Academy 2

Macon East Academy 17, Bessemer Academy 8

Springwood School 3, Clarke Prep School 1

Lee-Scott Academy 11, Monroe Academy 8

Fort Dale Academy 4, Bessemer Academy 1

Clarke Prep School 7, Monroe Academy 2

Macon East Academy 13, Glenwood School 8

Lee-Scott Academy 10, Springwood School 1

Springwood School 13, Fort Dale Academy 5

Clarke Prep School 8, Glenwood School 7

Macon East Academy 8, Lee-Scott Academy 6

Clarke Prep School 7, Springwood School 6

Lee-Scott Academy 5, Clarke Prep School 0

FINALS: Macon East Academy vs. Lee-Scott Academy, Saturday, 4:30 p.m. (A second game, if necessary, will immediately follow)