PREP SOFTBALL: Cullman, West Point advance at North Regional Tournament

Jake Winfrey, The Cullman Times, Ala.
·3 min read

May 13—The seasons for Cullman and West Point are very much alive.

Both teams advanced to Day 2 of the North Regional Softball Tournament in Florence following respective 1-1 showings on Wednesday at Coffee-O'Neal Park.

The Class 6A No. 9 Lady Bearcats (33-16-1) overpowered Jasper 15-2 in their first matchup before coming up short versus No. 6 Hazel Green 10-0 in the nightcap. Cullman will attempt to keep its season going when it takes on Fort Payne at 10:45 a.m. on Thursday.

The Class 5A No. 10 Lady Warriors (24-19-2) bested East Limestone 10-4 in their opener before losing to No. 5 Hayden 6-3 later in the afternoon. West Point will pick up play Thursday against Russellville at 9 a.m. and — just like Cullman — need three wins in the loser's bracket to advance to the state tournament.

See capsules from each game below.

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Class 6A

Hazel Green 10, Cullman 0

The Black and Gold dropped a tough one to the Lady Trojans in Wednesday's winner's bracket matchup.

Hazel Green plated three first-inning runs to seize the momentum and blew the contest open with five more in the seventh inning.

Cullman totaled just five hits in the loss — Faith Guest had two, while Haley Shannon, Olivia Britton and Sarah Herfurth each had one.

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Cullman 15, Jasper 2

The Lady Bearcats recorded 19 hits in a dominant, opening-round victory on Wednesday.

Cullman scored in each frame of the five-inning contest while allowing Jasper just four hits.

Chalea Clemmons turned in a big performance at the plate, going 5-for-5 with a homer and six RBIs.

Olivia Britton (three RBIs), Savannah Davis (two RBIs) and Shana Guest had three hits apiece — one of Britton's hits was a three-run homer — while Carlie Burnham and Faith Guest each registered two hits and an RBI. Emma Claire Wilson also contributed a hit, and Haley Shannon tallied four runs and three walks.

Wilson scattered four hits, two earned runs and six strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings.

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Class 5A

Hayden 6, West Point 3

Braelee Quinn blasted a three-run homer in the seventh inning, but it wasn't enough for the Lady Warriors to overcome the Lady Wildcats in Wednesday's winner's bracket contest.

West Point was limited to just four hits in the loss — Quinn had two, and Lexi Shadix and Carlie Wilkins each notched one.

Wilkins struck out 10 batters in seven innings, allowing seven hits and three earned runs.

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West Point 10, East Limestone 4

The Lady Warriors overcame a three-run deficit in Wednesday's opener en route to a comfortable win.

West Point trailed 4-1 late but scored nine unanswered runs to pull away.

Sydney Sellers and Brindlee Phillips each ripped two-run singles in the fifth inning to put the Lady Warriors up 5-4, while Lexi Kimbril (solo homer), Carlie Wilkins (RBI double) and Sellers (three-run homer) came through with clutch hits in the sixth inning to help the Maroon and White build a sizable cushion.

Sellers (five RBIs), Wilkins (two RBIs) and Lexi Shadix each contributed two hits, while Phillips (two RBIs), Kimbril (RBI) and Braelee Quinn provided one hit apiece.

Wilkins gave up four earned runs in the circle, scattering six hits and 13 strikeouts.