By Erik Harris, sports editor
MONTGOMERY — The Moody High School softball team opened up the East Central Regional with a two-game split on Wednesday afternoon.
The Blue Devils opened things up with a brutal 6-5 loss to Saridis in 11 innings, but rebounded with a 10-0 victory over Leeds in the loser’s bracket.
Facing elimination against the Greenwave, Moody collected 13 hits and scored in four of the five innings played while right-hander Hollie Graham pitched a four-hit shutout.
Graham pitched with a lead most of the way, as her offense put up three runs in the bottom of the first, added four more in the third, went for a single run in the fourth and finished things off with two final runs in the fifth. The mercy-rule win was complete.
Carmen Terry homered, singled and capped off her day with a three-RBI effort. Alexandria Harvard also barrelled up a home run on her way to two hits and as many RBIs for the Blue Devils. Maddie Barfield chipped in with a 2-for-2 outing with two RBIs and two runs scored, while Kendall Trimm came through with three hits, an RBI and two runs scored.
Moody will return to play on Thursday morning against Ramsay in a win-or-go-home game. First pitch is scheduled for 9 a.m. at Lagoon Park.
As for Leeds, the Greenwave slipped into the loser’s bracket with a 4-1 first-round loss to Shelby County.
Leed’s one run came off an Emma Machen single in the fourth. Maddie Payne went for a Lees-high two hits.
Shelby County only found five hits, but two of them jumped the fence thanks to Kensley Wesley and Morgan Dupree. Maleah Hale and Paci Clark also found RBIs for the Wildcats, who jumped out to a 1-0 lead in the first and added single runs in the second, fifth and sixth innings.
Leeds ends its season at 13-19 with a Class 5A, Area 10 championship. The Greenwave came into tournament play having won six of its last eight games.