By Staff
Hartselle's Lady Tigers pushed their current winning streak to 25 as they won the 5A, Section 6 tournament at Jasper and swept the Chelsea Lady Hornets to qualify for the state tournament in Montgomery.
The section championship was Hartselle's sixth in eight years and established Lindsay McClanahan as the winningest pitcher in Hartselle High history with 53 victories. She added victory 54 in the second game of sub-state play on Saturday.
The Lady Tigers got more competition from Gardendale than the Lady Hornets provided. McClanahan, Rachel McAbee, Sabrina Roberts and Ashley Jackson were named to the sectional all-tournament team.
In addition to collecting the school record for pitching wins, McClanahan set the stage for the Hartselle sectional victory at the plate.
With the score knotted at 2-2 in the bottom of the sixth inning, McClanahan plastered a triple. Holly Kilgore took her place as the courtesy runner and Rachel McAbee drove Kilgore home as the next batter. Two more Hartselle runners crossed the plate before the Lady Rockets took their final fruitless turn at the plate.
Gardendale drew first blood in the sectional championship with a single run in the top of the first inning. They notched their total with another run in the third, before Hartselle plated their first run.
The Lady Tigers finally put a response on the board with two runs in the bottom of the third inning and two scoreless stanzas passed before McClanahan tripled to set up the go-ahead for Hartselle.
McClanahan worked the circle for the entire seven innings for Hartselle. She struck out four, while allowing five hits, but walking none.
Ashley Jackson proved most productive for Hartselle at the plate, driving in three runs with three base hits.
McAbee went 2 for 3 at the plate with the go-ahead RBI on the final of her two singles.
Regan Sandlin singled twice and scored two of Hartselle's runs. Moving up from the junior varsity, Alison Lyle ripped a single and Sabrina Roberts finished off the Hartselle hits roster with a base hit.
Roberts picked up her 20 th win in a thus-far undefeated season. She got the win in three innings of no-hit work. Jessica Lawrimore finished out the no-hitter with a pair of strikeouts for Hartselle.
The Lady Tigers took one inning to figure out Chelsea's pitching and tapped the Lady Hornet starter for four runs in the second inning.
The third inning saw nine Hartselle runners cross home to give the Lady Tigers a 13-0 lead and set the stage for a mercy-ruled short game.
After holding Chelsea without a hit for the fourth inning, Hartselle scored twice to end the game and set up a sweep.
Roberts turned in a pair of doubles that netted four RBIs for the Lady Tigers. Corum was 4 for 4 at the plate, connecting for two singles and a pair of doubles that drove home three runs.
McClanahan collected three RBIs on a double and one base hit, while Ashley Jackson ripped a 2-RBI triple. Rachel Carden finished off with a double, a single and one RBI.
Also making contact for Hartselle were J. Lyle with two singles, McAbee with a pair of base hits, Sandlin was good for two singles and Sarah Whitlow and Anna Byrd were base hitters.
The Lady Hornets buckled down and tried to make a game of it in the second contest, holding Hartselle scoreless through two full innings.
They were one out away from making it three when the bottom fell out. Following a fielding error by Chelsea, Hartselle proceeded to score six runs in the top of the third inning with two outs against the side.
The Lady Hornets regrouped hold Hartselle scoreless in the fourth, but the damage was already done.
The Lady Tigers added a pair of runs in the fifth and capped the game with two in the sixth.
McClanahan pitched a one-hitter through four innings before handing off to Jessica Lyle who gave up two hits. Both pitchers fanned four batters.
Carden collected three RBIs on a double and two singles. Ashley Jackson made five trips to the plate, ripped two base hits and drove in two Hartselle runs.
Regan Sandlin got the big hit for Hartselle with a 2-RBI triple and Robin Halbrooks got an RBI single.
Byrd and J. Lyle connected for two singles each. Corum, McClanahan and Lawrimore finished out the Hartselle hitting with singles.