By Bobby Mathews, Sports Editor
ALBERTVILLE — The Springville Tigers put the bite on their opponents here on Tuesday, assuring themselves of a place in the qualifier 1 bracket of the AHSAA 6A East Regional against the winner of Fort Payne vs. Chelsea at 1:45 p.m. on Wednesday, May 11.
The Tigers took a 12-1 victory over Mountain Brook in the first game of the day, then beat Scottsboro 7-3.
Game 1: Springville 12, Mountain Brook 1
The Tigers exploded for seven runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to invoke the 10-run mercy rule and move on in the winner’s bracket. Already up 5-1, Springville’s Bekah Hargrove walked after Ashlyn Cooley singled and stole second, and then Makalyn Kyser doubled to plate Cooley and Hargrove to make it 8-1.
Tori Barnes singled and drove in Cameron Gunter, who was running for Kyser, and then Bella Bullington singled. Shelby Hathcock doubled to center field to score a run and move Bullington to third base. Hailey Davidson hit a rocket of a grounder to center field, scoring K Martin — in for Barnes — and Bullington to make it 12-1.
Hargrove went 3-for-3 with 2 RBI and scored twice, while Kyser was 1-for-3 with a walk. Barnes was 1-for-3 with an RBI and a walk. Bullington was 2-for-4 with an RBI and scored. Hathcock was 1-for-4 with an RBI, and Davidson was 1-for-1 with 2 RBI. Leah Bowden was 1-for-3 and score, while Cooley was 1-for-3 with 2 RBI. Riley Ruple went 2-for-3 with 3 RBI.
Hathcock went six innings for the Tigers, allowing one run on four hits and striking out three in the complete game victory.
Game 2: Springville 7, Scottsboro 3
Springville used a five-run second inning to power past Scottsboro, putting the Tigers up 7-0 early, and Scottsboro couldn’t overcome the deficit.
In the second inning, Leah Bowden and Ashlyn Cooley got on base with singles for the Tigers. The next two batters got out, but then Makalyn Kyser singled to bring Bowden home and make it 3-0. Tori Barnes kept the inning alive with a walk, and Bella Bullington singled to score Cooley.
Shelby Hathcock hit a double to clear the bases, scoring Kyser, Barnes and Gunter to make it 7-0. From there, Springville cruised.
Bekah Hargrove scored for the Tigers, while Makalyn Kyser was 1-for-4 with an RBI and scored. Barnes went 1-for-3, scored twice, had an RBI and a walk; Bullington went 2-for-4 with an RBI, while Hathcock went 2-for-4 with 3 RBI.
Bowden was 3-for-4 and scored, while Cooley was 1-for-4 and scored, while Riley Ruple was 1-for-3 at the plate. Layla Bradshaw was 2-for-4.
Bella Bullington got the win for the Tigers, going 6 2/3 innings, allowing no runs on four hits, walking five and striking out three.