MONDAY PREPS: St. James softball win fifth straight; ACA baseball defeats LAMP

COMBINED REPORTS

SOFTBALL

St. James 8, Alabama Christian 1

Saint James grabbed a big lead early and fought off raindrops and the Lady Eagles as they took control of the 3A Area 6 softball race with an 8-1 home victory over ACA.

The Trojans scored two in the bottom of the first on a pair of Eagle errors and added five more runs in the bottom of the second on an RBI groundout by Kaitlyn Hudson, an RBI double by Ava Stanford and a three-run homer by Tat Shuford to extend the lead to 7-0. STJ added another unearned run in the bottom of the fourth before the Eagles scored their only run on a triple by Elizabeth Hall and a ground out.

Emily Needham picked up the complete game victory, giving up only three hits while striking out 11.

ACA starter Maddie Traywick went 1.2 innings before being replaced by Izzy Warrick. Traywick allowed five runs, one earned, on four hits while Warrick pitched the remaining 4.1 innings and allowed three runs, two earned, on four hits.

St. James improved to 4-0 in 3A Area 6 play, clinching a tie for the regular-season title and all but assuring the Trojans of hosting the area tournament. The Trojans also posted their fifth consecutive victory to improve to 21-1, the best start to a softball season in program history.  

Weather permitting, the Trojans will travel to Elmore County on Tuesday and host LAMP on Thursday before concluding area play against Trinity and Montgomery Academy next week.

Catholic 11, Stanhope Elmore 7

Riley Wilcoxson went 3 for 4 with a double and a home run, scoring twice and driving in a pair of runs to lead the Knights to an 11-7 win over Stanhope Elmore on Monday.

Anna Marie Hill went 2 for 3, scored twice and had two RBIs, Hayden Fitts went 2 for 4, scored once and drove in a pair of runs, Jennifer Looney went 2 for 4 and scored a run and Riley Hudson went 1 for 4, scored once and drove in a run for Catholic.

Looney went the distance in the circle, allowing seven runs, six earned, in seven innings of work while walking two and striking out five.

Catholic remains home to play Prattville Christian on Thursday.

BASEBALL

Alabama Christian 5, LAMP 1

Landon Nelson pitched a complete-game one hitter while striking out 14 to lead the Eagles to a 5-1 win over the Golden Tigers on Monday at the AUM Dixie Baseball Field.

Mac Moorer went 1 for 2 and scored twice, Jackson McGuire went 1 for 1 with an RBI, Jackson Burton went 1 for 3 with an RBI and Nelson drove in a pair of runs to lead the Eagles.

Catholic 2, Montgomery Academy 0

Andrew Noell scattered six hits over seven innings to lead the Knights to a 2-0 win over the Eagles on Monday.

Brody Hudson drove in the Knights’ first run with a sacrifice fly in the first inning, giving Catholic all they would need. Gregory Rauch, Jordan Jackson and Ethan Levanda each had one hit for the Knights.

Rick McBride went 2 for 4 to lead the Eagles.

Catholic closes out 4A Area 4 play with a series against LAMP on Thursday and Friday, while Montgomery Academy closes out 3A Area 6 play with a series against Alabama Christian on Thursday and Friday.

TRACK AND FIELD

MA girls finish second on Senior Night at Monday Madness

It was Senior Night at Montgomery Academy as the Eagles honored not only their seniors but all of the seniors of the programs competing. The MA girls finished second to Brew Tech.

Isabella Johnson was first in the discus with a distance of 118-7 and first in shot put with a distance of 39-10. Other first-place finishers for Montgomery Academy were Sarah Elizabeth Casey (4-10 in high jump), Megan Link (8 feet, 6 inches in pole vault) and Elle Ingram in 1600-meter run (5:26).

Last weekend, Johnson Johnson (shot put and discus) and Ingram (800-meter run) were invited to compete in the Mobile Challenge of Champions against some of the top athletes in the Southeast. Isabella was the champion in shot put with a throw of 40-3.75 and second in discus with a throw of 124-11, while Ingram was third in the 800-meter with a time of 2:22.

Top finishers for the Montgomery Academy boys on Monday were Skyler Stovall, who was first in high jump with a height of 6-2, and Knox Wingate, who won pole vault with a height of 12-0.

Montgomery Academy travels north this weekend to compete in the Mountain Brook Invitational on Friday and Saturday.