By Staff
The Hartselle Lady Tigers assured themselves of further post-season action as they cruised to the championship game of the 5A Section 6 tournament at Jasper.
Scheduled for last weekend, the section tournament was delayed until Monday and Tuesday because of rain.
When play got under way on Monday, Hartselle's girls collected three victories to set up a Tuesday evening championship game with the winner of the Gardendale and Mortimer Jordan semi-finals game.
The Hartselle girls held the Lady Blue Devils scoreless through five innings, while plating three runs. Mortimer Jordan scored their lone run in the top of the sixth inning to wrap the game score.
Sabrina Roberts picked up her 18th pitching win in a full-game performance.
Roberts fanned five MJ batters, walked none and gave up only four hits.
Lindsay McClanahan proved most productive at the plate when she crunched a 2 RBI double in the bottom of the first.
All the other Hartselle hits came in the form of base hits from the bats of Anna Byrd, Jessica Lyle, Roberts.
Regan Sandlin. Lyle and Byrd picked up stolen bases in the opening game win.
The Lady Tigers set a school record for runs in a game with 28 and runs in a single inning with 26 in the first to shorten their second-round contest with Erwin's Lady Eagles to only three innings.
Jessica Lawrimore hit her first home run of the season and tied a school record with six RBIs.
McClanahan got the pitching win in two innings. She struck out four and walked none.
Jessica Lyle went one inning of relief. The pair combined for a no-hitter.
Lawrimore also connected for a base hit. Regan Sandlin needed a homer to hit for the cycle, but connected for four RBIs on her single, double and triple.
Rachel McAbee ripped two singles and drove home four runs, while McClanahan got three RBIs on two base hits.
Anna Corum connected for a 2-RBI single, while Ashley Jackson drove home two runs with three singles. Robin Halbrooks got an RBI from two base hits and Jess Lyle got a base hit RBI.
Sarah Whitlow doubled and Anna Byrd singled to complete the Hartselle hitting roster.
Stolen bases played huge factor in the Lady Tigers 26-run inning. Jackson, Byrd, Lyle, Sandlin and Corum picked up two each. Rachel Carden, Lawrimore got one each.
After spotting the Lady Rockets a run in the first inning, Hartselle took the lead with a plated pair in the third, added three in the fourth and capped the game with another pair in the sixth inning.
Roberts got the win while Lyle got the save from the pitchers' circle as they combined for a one-hitter.
Lyle stole two bases along the way.
Base hits were the order of the day. Jackson and Roberts got two each. Byrd, Lyle, McAbee, Carden and Sandlin all finished with one apiece.