By Johnny Sanders, Sports Editor
HOOVER – On Saturday, the Spain Park Jaguars hosted the JAG Classic Softball Tournament, inviting teams from all over to Hoover to compete. The Hewitt Trussville Huskies was one of those teams and they stole the show in the Jaguars’ house, going 4-0, allowing just 3 runs total in those 4 games and scoring a no-hitter for Sara Phillips in one of those games.
In game one, Hewitt played the Calera Eagles, winning 6-1. Hewitt got on the board first by scoring 2 in the first as Hannah Dorsett got on base on a single to right field and Olivia Faggard followed it with a double that drove the runner in. Chaney Peters would then hit a double to drive in Faggard and end the first at 2-0 Huskies. Both teams were scoreless in the second followed by a 3-run third inning for the Huskies that saw Dorsett get on base on a bunt, Faggard get walked and Peters hit a sacrifice fly that would bring both of them home, followed by a solo home run by Lexy Kelly, to put Hewitt up 5-0 after three innings. Calera would get their only run in the fourth and the Huskies would close out their scoring in the bottom of the inning with a Faggard single that brought in Dorsett for the score. Kenly Poe got the win for Hewitt, surrendering no runs on three hits in two and two-thirds innings, walking zero. Kate Hicks came in from the bullpen to finish off the win.
Game two would be a bit closer as the Huskies took on the Hartselle Tigers, beating them by just one run, 3-2. In the first, Zaylen Tucker got hit by a pitch to get her on base and Ahkeela Honeycutt was walked to put 2 runners on. Peters would then drive in Tucker with a single to center field. Both teams would be blanked by great pitching in the second before Hewitt put 2 runs on the board in the third on a Faggard home run and a double by Sara Phillips to drive in Gracie Reeves who hit a single earlier in the inning. Hartselle would try to mount a comeback by scoring a run in each of the next two innings, making it 3-2, but Hewitt and Sara Phillips would slam the door on those hopes. Phillips went all six innings, allowing two runs on three hits and striking out nine batters.
Hewitt would take on the Brooks Lions in game three and promptly shut them out 5-0. The great pitching by the Husky girls continued in this game with Zaylen Tucker pitching a complete game and allowing zero runs. Ryleigh Wood hit a triple to drive in Reeves and begin the scoring in the second. Tucker would hit a single to shortstop, bringing Wood to the plate and Peters would drive in Dorsett who was walked earlier in the inning to make it 3-0 Huskies after 2. In the fourth, Dorsett would get on base on an error and be brought home by a sacrifice fly by Tucker. The Huskies would get another run in the sixth when Wood got on base and was brought home on a single by Tucker. Zaylen Tucker did it all In this game, pitching the whole game, getting the shutout and driving in 3 runs on 3 hits in all of her at-bats.
The final game of the day would be perhaps the most impressive with the Pell City Panthers being the victim this time. Not only did the Huskies get another shutout for the day but pitcher Sara Phillips would throw a no-hitter to help the Huskies get the 11-0 win. The Husky bats caught fire in this game and it did not take long to get them heated up. Hewitt put 5 runs on the board in the first to get things started as Phillips would drive in two runners (Dorsett and Tucker) on a single to left field. Faggard would bunt to get on base due to an error by Pell City and Peters would bring her home. Kelly would hit a sacrifice fly to drive in Faggard and Rubie Simon would bring in Peters on a single to center field. Dorsett would add a run in the second on a passed ball as the only run in the inning. Reeves would reach base on a single to second base and come home after a Kelly double to left field to make it 7-0 Hewitt after three innings. After a score on an error by Tucker, Faggard would hit a two-run home run to make it 10-0 heading into the fifth. The Huskies would then get one more run in the fifth as Dorsett stole home while Phillips was at bat. Sara Phillips struck out 12 batters in her no-hitter, allowing just one runner to get on base in the fifth on an error, in a brilliant performance.
Hewitt is now 14-4 and winners of the JAG Classic. On Tuesday, the Huskies will take on the hosts of the JAG Classic, at Spain Park.