By Johnny Sanders, Sports Editor
CULLMAN – The Springville Lady Tigers Softball team is experiencing quite the season thus far. They are sitting at 7-0 and most of those 7 wins have been absolute blow-outs. The Fairview Aggies looked to change that on Tuesday night as the welcomed the hottest team around, but no such thing would happen as Springville jumped all over the Aggies and came away with a 16-0 win in three innings.
Springville wasted no time getting on the board as Layla Bradshaw got on base after being walked and then Emmy Leopard bunted to get 2 on base for Shelby Hathcock as she came to the plate. Hathcock grounded one to center field and drove in the two RBI for Springville. Bella Bullington got on base with a line drive to right field and Kiley Christopher doubled to drive in Hathcock and Locklear (pinch running for Bullington) and make it 4-0 Springville.
The Lady Tigers were not done by any stretch, and it was still the top of the first with no outs until Ashlyn Cooley hit a pop fly go get the first one. With Kynlee Taruc still on base as pinch runner for Christopher, Kaylee Sue Martin hit a single to right field and drove in the runner. Riley Ruple would get on base on a single to left field, advancing Martin to second. Bradshaw would get back to the plate and hit it to shortstop to load the bases for Leopard. She would hit a double to center field, driving in Ruple and Martin to make it 7-0 Tigers.
With Bradshaw and Leopard on base, Hathcock stepped to the plate and promptly knocked the ball out of the park to bump the lead to 10-0 Springville with 2 outs in the first inning. With pinch runners Locklear (for Bullington) and Taruc (for Christopher) on base, Cooley hit a triple to right field and drove in the runners to make it 12-0. Fairview finally got out of the inning when Martin grounded out.
After Fairview went scoreless during their chance at bat, Springville’s hot bats would come back to the plate, but the would be shut out in the second inning. Springville would continue the shutout and when they got their next time at bat, they would take advantage and put the final few nails in the coffin of the Aggies for this game. Leopard and Hathcock would reach base on an error and an intentional walk respectfully. The Aggies walked Hathcock to hopefully avoid another home run, but Bella Bullington was up next and she knocked one over the center field wall to put Springville up 15-0. The Tigers would drive in another run before the end of the third and that is how the game would end. With a 16-0 thrashing of the Fairview Aggies.
Bullington pitched the first two innings giving up just one hit with three strikeouts before Georgia Chancellor came in to finish the game in the third, preserving the shutout.
“My girls were very eager to play in our first area game of the year, said Springville Head Coach JP Taruc. “They had a great mindset of playing great defensively and getting quality at bats. Bella Bullington started the game and pitched well. She only gave up one hit with 3 strikeouts. Shelby Hathcock led the team with 5 RBI. She went 2-2 with 1 homerun. As a team, we had 15 hits that developed into 16 runs. I’m extremely proud of my girls for playing strong and winning our first area game.”
The 7-0 Tigers now look to the Saint Clair County Tournament this coming weekend.