The Lady Eagles closed out Area play with three consecutive wins this week to finish in a tie for second place with St James with a record of 5-3. ACA swept a doubleheader from Bullock County on Tuesday, 15-0 and 17-0, and put a damper on St James’ Senior Day by beating the Trojans, 4-3. The two teams will clash again in the Area tournament and the Eagles will come into the game knowing they can beat their opponent.
ACA honored its seniors before the games against Bullock County as Katie Chappell and Jordan Wilson were recognized. Chappell, who was injured during basketball season and has not played all season, was able to participate in game one of the twin bill and drove in two runs in the first inning and picked up a hit to help the cause. The Eagles scored eight in the first and seven in the second for the easy 15-0 three-inning triumph. Anna Williams led the offense with a 2 for 3 game with two runs scored and an RBI. Five other players also scored two runs in the game. Maddie Traywick struck out eight of the nine outs and allowed just one hit to earn the win.
Game two lasted just two innings, but the home team scored all of its runs in the first in the 17-0 demolishing of Bullock County. Seven players scored two runs as Annabelle Pugh led the charge going 2 for 2 with a double and two RBIs. Izzy Warrick hit an inside the park homer and drove in four runs and Anna Gleason had three RBIs. Warrick pitched a perfect two innings with three strikeouts.
On Thursday, ACA went to St James to try and avenge an earlier loss at the hands of the Trojans. St James started their number two pitcher, and eventually used three total pitchers, as their ace had thrown 265 pitches over sixteen innings against LAMP the previous two days. Meanwhile, Izzy Warrick was ready to go for the Lady Eagles. The Trojans struck first with back-to-back two-out singles that led to a 1-0 lead in the opening inning. ACA’s first runs came in the third inning as Lily Sconyers walked and Haley Belcher had a bunt single to put runners on first and third with one out. Campbell Hammett grounded out to drive in the first run and Warrick singled Belcher in to give the Eagles a 2-1 lead. In the fifth inning, St James took advantage of two Eagle errors and regained the lead 3-2. Maddie Traywick tied the game up in the sixth with a two-out single to left that scored Diana Blackburn. The two teams headed to the seventh frame tied, 3-3. Belcher and Hammett led off the seventh with consecutive singles to put ACA in business. A Warrick ground out moved Belcher to third and Anna Williams knocked in the winner with a grounder to second to score Belcher. Warick walked the first batter of the seventh for St James, but set the next three down in order to secure the 4-3 victory.
Haley Belcher finished the game with two hits in three at-bats and scored two runs, including the game winner. Izzy Warrick was 2 for 4 with two stolen bases and an RBI and pitched a complete game for the win as she gave up no earned runs with four strikeouts over seven innings. Campbell Hammett, Maddie Traywick and Anna Williams each drove in a run in the Area win.
Alabama Christian will participate in a tournament in Hoover over the weekend and will open up with Hartselle on Friday afternoon.