Staff Reports
JACKSONVILLE – The Cedar Bluff Lady Tigers and Sand Rock Lady Wildcats met for the fifth time this softball season on Monday. Sand Rock was able to survive the previous four meetings, including their Class 2A, Area 13 tournament opener on Saturday by a run.
But on Monday at Jacksonville State University’s softball field, the Lady Tigers won when it mattered most.
Mackenzie Kimmons surrendered just three hits and didn’t allow run in leading the Lady Tigers to a 3-0 victory.
The win clinched an East Regional berth at Albertville’s Sand Mountain Park on Wednesday, May 13 for Cedar Bluff (11-17-1). The Lady Tigers went on to finish as Area 13 runner-up to Pleasant Valley after losing in a slugfest 18-9.
Sand Rock’s season ends at 23-21-1.
Against Sand Rock, Cedar Bluff scored all three of its runs in the bottom of the first inning. Tylee Bradford was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded to drive in a run. The Lady Tigers scored their other two runs on an error.
Rylie Walker, Kylie Vadon, Ciana Smith, Makayla Kimmons, Paityn Walker, and Piper Cromer each contributed a hit for the Lady Tigers.
Emma Sipsy went 2-for-3 at the plate to lead Sand Rock. Madison Walker walked three times.
Macy Martin suffered the loss. She allowed one earned run on five hits with two walks and a strikeout over three innings.
Cedar Bluff’s area championship game against Pleasant Valley was quite the opposite as its game against Sand Rock. The two teams combined for 38 hits and score a total of 27 runs.
Bradford and Paityn Walker both collected a pair of hits for the Lady Tigers. Rylie Walker went 1-for-4 with two RBIs.
Callie Brown suffered the loss. She allowed six runs on 10 hits with two walks and a strikeout over 2 1/3 innings.
