Hartselle powers its way past Muscle Shoals

David Elwell, The Decatur Daily, Ala.
·3 min read

Apr. 16—HARTSELLE — On a day when Hartselle softball needed a big win, Jada Henderson delivered a big hit.

With Hartselle holding a two-run lead over Muscle Shoals in the bottom of the fifth, Henderson crushed a pitch over the fence in centerfield for a three-run home run to lead the Tigers to a 7-3 victory.

"I don't think I've ever hit a ball any harder," the senior catcher said.

A few more feet to the right and Hartselle might have needed to pass the hat around to collect donations for a new scoreboard.

Hartselle softball has made a lot of news away from the field this week. Christy Ferguson is out as head coach. The move was explained in a letter from Hartselle Principal Brad Cooper as a move "In conjunction with Coach Ferguson and HCS administration."

Supporters of Ferguson plan to attend next week's school board meeting. A petition in support of Ferguson had over 1,700 signatures Thursday evening.

Anyone looking for signs of a protest at the Grady and Margie Long Softball Complex didn't find it. It was all about the game with Muscle Shoals.

Running the team are assistant coaches Donna Legg-Battles, Sarah Ellen Battles and Anna Hall.

"We're blessed with some great young ladies, who knew what they needed to do today and got it done," Legg-Battles said.

The win leaves Hartselle (22-14) and Muscle Shoals tied in the Class 6A, Area 14 standings with 4-2 records.

The team with the best record hosts the area tournament. The tiebreaker is determined by the best record against the next place team, and that would be against Cullman. Hartselle swept both games with the Bearcats. Muscle Shoals split with Cullman. So it looks like Hartselle will be hosting another area tournament.

"I think that puts us in the driver's seat, and that's a good place to be," Legg-Battles said.

Hartselle scored three runs in the bottom of the first when Lillyanna Cartee drove in a run on a sacrifice fly and junior Karsi Lentz hit a two-run home run.

After Muscle Shoals cut the lead to 3-2 in the third, Hartselle added one in the bottom of the inning when freshman Kaelyn Jones walked and scored on Henderson's ground out.

Henderson drove in Jones again in the fifth along with Lariss Preuitt with her big home run.

While the big hits from Henderson and Lentz pushed the runs across, Hartselle used its defense to keep Muscle Shoals in control. The Trojans had just five strikeouts in the game. The Hartselle infield had 11 putouts, including a big double play in the fifth.

Hartselle pitchers Zoey Crawford, Lentz and Jenna Smith held Muscle Shoals to nine hits and one walk and two earned runs.

"I think our team is really coming together now, and that's a great thing to see," Henderson said. "It's time to be playing our best."

— david.elwell@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2395. Twitter @DD_DavidElwell.