By Johnny Sanders, Sports Editor
GADSDEN – The Springville Lady Tigers continued their fantastic softball season over the weekend, winning all six of the games they played in the Terry Vest Tournament in Gadsden on Friday and Saturday.
Springville’s Bella Bullington pitching.
(Photo by Jodi Davidson)
Play began Friday evening with a game against Fyffe in which the Tigers blanked the Red Devils 5-0. The two teams went scoreless in the first two innings before Springville knocked in three runs in the third. The fourth would also be scoreless and then the Tigers would add two more to the total in the fifth to make it a 5-0 final. Bella Bullington got the complete-game shutout going all five innings while allowing a single hit and striking out six batters. Bullington also led at the plate with two RBI.
Next up for Springville was the Spring Garden Panthers. It was a dog fight for the first three innings as neither team could find home plate. Finally, in the fourth, the Tigers put two on the board. Spring Garden answered with a run of their own in the bottom of the inning, but Springville’s two in the top of the fifth proved to be enough to seal the deal and give them a 4-1 win in the Friday night finale. Shelby Hathcock got the win, allowing two hits and one run while striking out three. Kiley Christopher had two RBI from the plate on the night.
On Saturday morning, the Tigers started their day off with a game against the Bison of North Sand Mountain. The Tigers jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the first and put three more across the plate in the third to make it 5-0 and that is how it would stand. Hathcock and Georgia Chancellor would combine for a no-hitter and each pitcher would get three strikeouts. Bullington would continue getting it done at the plate, going a perfect one for one and bringing home two RBI.
In Saturday’s second game for the Tigers, they would play Spring Garden again and this time the fate would be much worse for the Panthers as Springville would whip them 12-1. In the top of the fourth, the Panthers found themselves at an 8-0 deficit before putting up their only run of the game. Springville would add the last four runs of the game in the bottom of the fourth to make it 12-1 and give the Tigers their fourth consecutive win. Bullington got the complete game win, allowing three hits, one run and striking out four batters. Aida Locklear went two of three from the plate, driving in four runs to go with Leah Bowden’s three of three performance, driving in two.
Game five for the Tigers may have been their toughest test as they took on the Plainview Bears. Springville jumped out 1-0 before the Bears answered in the top of the second to tie it. The Tigers took the narrow lead by scoring two in the bottom of the second and the two teams would go scoreless for the remainder of the game, ending in a 3-1 Springville victory. Chancellor would get the win, going all five innings, allowing five hits and one run and striking out nine Plainview batters. Kaylee Sue Martin had an RBI in the game.
The final game of the tournament for Springville may have been their most impressive, an 11-0 win over Etowah. The Tigers put up three in the first, two in the third and six in the fourth and completely shut down the Blue Devils’ bats. Shelby Hathcock went all five innings and gave up two hits and no runs, striking out seven batters. Ashlyn Cooley went two of three and had three RBI to go with two RBI from Alex Layfield and Emmy Leopard.
Springville head coach JP Taruc spoke of the tough regular season and what it has done for his team thus far. “This is the toughest regular season schedule that we have ever played. Just naming a few of our regular season opponents outside of our area, we have played Thompson, Spain Park, Vestavia, Pell City, Plainview, Mortimer Jordan, Hoover, and Hewitt-Trussville. Playing great teams makes us better as a team because every pitch matters from beginning to end. Plus, I want our team to be battle-tested because it will help us grow, learn, improve and stay united as one. Iron sharpens iron and playing the best will definitely make us better. Also, to be the best we have to play the best. I truly believe that playing a schedule like this will help us get ready for the big tournaments such as area, region and state. I am extremely proud of our team because they have accepted this challenge.”
Despite the tough schedule, the Tigers sit atop 5A softball in the state with a 20-7 record. Springville will travel to Hayden on Tuesday before welcoming Pell City on Thursday and Fairview next Monday.
