By Johnny Sanders, Sports Editor
TRUSSVILLE – It may be a different year, but the headline is, at the very least, similar. Yes, the Hewitt Trussville Huskies have once again made the 7A state softball playoffs. Under Head Coach Taylor Burt, the Huskies have made the playoffs every year since she became the head lady at Hewitt in 2017. In that time, Hewitt has won 4 area championships, appeared in the final four 4 times and won the blue map twice. So, making it to state this year should come as no surprise to anyone.
“We are to the point in our program where the girls expect to not only make it to the state tournament, but really compete and have a legit chance to win it,” said Coach Burt.
On Thursday, the Huskies had to win two games to make it this far. The first game was against the Thompson Warriors. Hewitt jumped all over them in the first inning, scoring 5 runs in the bottom, after Thompson was unable to score to start the game. Hewitt would add a single run in the second and another in the third, while Sara Phillips and the Husky defense held the Warriors at bay with no runs across the plate.
After a scoreless fourth inning, the Warriors managed 2 runs in the top of the fifth but Hewitt would answer with 2 of their own to make it 9-2. The Huskies would stay the course, allowing no more runs by Thompson, and close the game out with a 9-2 win to start the regional tournament.
Sara Phillips would go the distance, pitching all 7 innings and allowing 2 runs on 4 hits and striking out 5. At the plate, Hannah Dorsett was a perfect 3 for 3 with an RBI. Gracie Reaves and Ahkeela Honeycutt had 2 RBI each.
The next game would be a familiar foe, as the Huskies took on the Spain Park Jaguars, whom they had to play 3 times in the area tournament, one of those being a 7-5 loss. There would be no such luck for the Jaguars this time as Hewitt beat them for the fifth time this season.
The game started with both teams getting 2 runs each in the first inning. Then, after 3 scoreless innings, the Huskies got the bats going in the fifth with 4 runs. They would then score another run in the sixth before Spain Park ended the scoring in the seventh with a single run of their own, making it a 7-3 final and sending the Huskies into the state playoffs.
Zaylen Tucker got the start and allowed 2 runs on one hit and struck out one. Sara Phillips entered the game during the second and allowed a run on 3 hits and struck out 10. Olivia Faggard owned the plate as she went 3 of 4 batting with 3 RBI for the Huskies.
“I thought we came out ready to play and did a great job putting up runs early,” said Coach Burt. “Our pitch selection was a huge contributing factor to our success at the plate. We were patient and didn’t chase. Our pitchers did a great job working ahead in counts and letting the defense work behind them. We also came up with some really big 2-out RBI in game two. We preach how big those are to our team. We played well but we left some runners on so that’s something we need to improve on before this coming weekend. I am proud of the way they showed up and took care of business. It was a complete team effort from top to bottom.”
The Huskies now look to the state playoffs where they will take on the Daphne Tigers at Choccolocco Park in Oxford, Alabama on Friday morning.
“We are looking forward to the challenge that the 8-team format brings. We will need to win 3 on day one to put ourselves in the best position possible to win it on day two,” said Burt. “The road is extremely tough but we still have our best ball I front of us and we have faith that we will do our very best to make it happen.”
Friday’s first game will begin at 9:00 am.