Tigers win Bulldog Bash Softball tournament

Published 12:05 am Tuesday, March 8, 2016

Sydney Arnett was electric in the pitching circle for Straughn on Saturday.

Sydney Arnett was electric in the pitching circle for Straughn on Saturday.

The Straughn Lady Tigers picked up three wins Saturday to claim to the title for the 2016 Bulldog Bash Softball Tournament.

 

STRAUGHN 6, FLOMATON 5

In the championship game the Lady Tigers were able to pick up a run in the bottom of the sixth inning on their way to a 6-5 victory over the Flomaton Lady Hurricanes.

Molly Stewart rips a double into the gap.

Molly Stewart rips a double into the gap.

Sydney Arnett go the start in the pitching circle for the Lady Tigers and quickly picked up a swinging strikeout to get the contest start.

Arnett got the next better to pop up for the second out, but Lady Hurricanes threated to score with the next two batters reaching on singles.

Not letting it faze her, Arnett produced a ground ball that Molly Stewart fielded cleanly and fired to first for the third out.

Stewart then led off the bottom of the first inning with a walk and advanced to second and third on sacrifices from Colby Adams and Brentley Armstrong.

With two outs, Kristen Peavey laced a single to center to score Stewart for a 1-0 Lady Tiger lead in the opening frame.

The Lady Hurricanes’ bats came to life in the top of the second inning. After a quick groundout, three hits and hit batter led to game being tied 1-1.

Flomaton continued to hit the ball and took advantage of an error to go on top 5-1 in the top of the second inning. Arnett settled in and got a pop up and a strikeout to end the threat.

Sarah Langford reached on an error to start the bottom of the second inning and moved to second on fielder’s choice from Hayden Willis. Carolina Fussell followed with a walk, but the Lady Hurricanes got a double-play ball to end the second inning.

Arnett got the top of the third inning started with a strikeout and then retired the next two batters for three-up-three-down inning.

However, the Lady Tigers couldn’t get anything going in the bottom half of the inning and still trailed 5-1 after three innings of play.

In the top of the fourth, Arnett continued her strong work on the mound by sitting the Lady Hurricane batters down in order.

Macy Matthews got things started in the bottom half of the fourth with a line drive single to right. Langford and Willis each reached on errors to load the bases for the Lady Tigers.

Fussell followed with a groundout to the pitcher, but it was enough for Matthews to come around to score on.

Dallas Mackoff followed with a fielder’s choice that brought in Langford to score. Willis then attempted to score, but was thrown out at the plate and during some confusion, Mackoff came around to score.

The Lady Hurricanes then escaped the inning, but the damage had been done as the Lady Tigers trimmed the gap to 5-4 heading into the fifth inning.

Arnett continued to dazzle on the mound with three straight outs in the top of the fifth inning.

Armstrong started off the bottom of the fifth inning with single to center and the Peavey reached on an error.

Matthews followed with a hard-hit ball short and Armstrong was thrown out trying to score.

Langford came up and crushed a single to left to score Peavey from the third and tie the game 5-5.

In the top of the sixth inning, Arnett ran into some early trouble, but overcame to keep the score tied.

Mackoff was plunked to start the home half of the sixth inning and then Stewart followed with an infield single.

A double play from the Lady Hurricanes’ defense then left the Lady Tigers with two outs in the inning.

Armstrong drew a walk and then Peavey singled to center allowing Stewart to come around to score on the throw.

The Lady Hurricanes got a big double to start off the top of the seventh inning, but Arnett remained steady and focused in the circle and retired the next three batters in order to give the Lady Tigers the championship win.

Peavey led the way for the Lady Tigers by going 2-for-4 and driving in two runs.

Arnett picked up the win for the Lady Tigers with a complete-game allowing five runs and striking out four in the process.

 

STRAUGHN 8, ANDALUSIA 0

In the second game of the day, the Straughn Lady Tigers used a big fifth inning to take down the Andalusia Lady Bulldogs 8-0, and give the Lady Tigers a berth into the Bulldog Bash Softball Tournament championship game.

Sydney Arnett got the start in the pitching circle for the Lady Tigers and promptly shutdown the Lady Bulldogs in order in the opening frame.

Molly Stewart led off the bottom half of the first with a smash to right field for a triple.

Colby Adams came up with a single to center that scored Stewart for a 1-0 Straughn lead.

Zaria Jones got a one-out single in the top of the second, but Arnett picked up a strikeout and ground out to end the threat.

Merikal McCaskill makes a play on a bunt.

Merikal McCaskill makes a play on a bunt.

Lady Bulldog starting pitcher Sydney Ray got things started with a pop up for the first out in the bottom of the second, but Hayden Willis followed with a single.

Willis then advanced to second on a sacrifice from Carolina Fussell, but Ray picked up a strikeout to put and end the inning.

Carolina Fussell goes down to make a play.

Carolina Fussell goes down to make a play.

Arnett picked up a pair of strikeouts to open the top of the third inning and Stewart threw out Haley Harper trying to steal second for the third out.

Stewart led off the bottom of the third with a single to center, but Adams hit a line drive that was snagged by Andalusia shortstop Haley Ballard, who then fired back to Merikal McCaskill at first for a double play.

Armstrong followed with a two-out single, but Ray was able to snag a line drive right back at her off the bat of Kristen Peavey for the third out.

In the top of the fourth, Arnett picked up two quick strikeouts and a fly out to end the Lady Bulldogs’ half of the inning.

The Lady Tigers got a strong start to the bottom of the fourth, when Macy Matthews led-off with a single. Matthews moved up to second on a wild pitch and then moved to third on a fly ball from Langford.

Willis followed with a hard ground ball to second for the second out, but it was enough to score Matthews and give the Lady Tigers a 2-0 lead heading into the fifth inning.

Arnett kept the Lady Bulldogs off the scoreboard again in the top of the fifth inning, and picked up another strikeout in the process.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Stewart reached on an error to start and Adams followed with a single.

Armstrong then laced a single to right to score Stewart. Adams also scored on an error during the play to put the Lady Tigers up 4-0.

Singles from Matthews and Langford followed and a walk to Arnett scored Armstrong.

Fussell then picked up an RBI on a fielder’s choice and Langford scored on passed ball.

Dallas Mackoff then singled home the final run to give the Lady Tigers an 8-0 win.

Stewart, Adams and Matthews each went 2-for-3 for the Lady Tigers, and Armstrong was 2-for-2 with two RBIs.

Arnett was the winning pitcher with a complete-game shutout over the Lady Bulldogs. Arnett struck out seven and allowed just two hits in the win.

 

STRAUGHN 15, RED LEVEL 0

In the first game of day-two of the Bulldog Bash Softball Tournament, the Straughn Lady Tigers ravaged the Red Level Lady Tigers on their way to a 15-0 win.

Dallas Mackoff was the starting pitcher for Straughn and picked up two strikeouts on her way to a perfect opening inning.

Molly Stewart led off the bottom of the first inning with a single and then came around to score on an error off the bat of Colby Adams.

Hayden Willis followed with a double to center that scored Adams for a 2-0 lead.

A double from Brentley Armstrong followed to put Straughn up 3-0.

Alexis Perdue takes a cut at a fastball.

Alexis Perdue takes a cut at a fastball.

Red Level then got two outs, but Armstrong scored on passed ball to give Straughn a 4-0 lead after one inning of play.

Mackoff continued her strong work on the mound by retiring Red Level in order and picking up two more strikeouts.

Adams and Willis reached to start the bottom of the second and Peavey then drove in Adams with a fielder’s choice.

Willis scored on a single from Armstrong and then Armstrong scored on a single from Mackoff to put Straughn on top 7-0.

Straughn batted around and Willis and Adams each drove in more runs to put Straughn on top 12-0 after two innings.

Red Level picked up a single in the top of the third inning, but Mackoff picked up two more strikeouts and ground out to end the threat.

Langford scored on an error for the first run of the bottom of the third and then Adams lined a double into center that scored Carolina Fussell and Mackoff to give Straughn a 15-0 win.

 

ANDALUSIA 6, PLEASANT HOME 0

The Andalusia Lady Bulldogs took advantage of their opponent’s miscues and went on to defeat the Pleasant Home Lady Eagles 6-0 Saturday in day-two action of the Bulldog Bash Softball tournament.

Haley Harper got things started in the top of the first inning with a single to right field.

Hope Gunter fires a double off the fence in center.

Hope Gunter fires a double off the fence in center.

The Lady Bulldogs then got another runner when Olivia Amerson laid down a bunt single. An error on the play allowed Harper to come around to score to put the Lady Bulldogs on top 1-0.

Millie Manring followed with a single and later came around to score on error after a single from Zaria Jones.

The Lady Bulldogs picked up another run after Haley Ballard ripped a single to right and Jones was able to score on error during the play to put the Lady Bulldogs up 3-0 early in the contest.

Lady Bulldog starting pitcher Sydney Ray got two quick outs to start the bottom of the first, but a two-out triple from Anna Bulger left the Lady Eagles with a threat to score. Ray didn’t budge and got a groundout to end the inning.

Neither team could get anything going in the second inning and the Lady Bulldogs still led 3-0 heading into the top of the third.

Pleasant Home pitcher Tiffany Knoll got two outs to start the top of the third inning, but Manring followed with a two-out single to breath life in the Lady Bulldogs.

Merikal McCaskill then hammered a 3-2 pitch into the corner in right. Manring scored easily and McCaskill turned on the after burners and raced all the way around for an inside-the-park home run to put Andalusia on top 5-0.

Merikal McCaskill removes her helmet after hitting an inside-the-park home run.

Merikal McCaskill removes her helmet after hitting an inside-the-park home run.

Jones then singled and later came around to score on a single from Ballard to give the Lady Bulldogs a 6-0 advantage.

Ray continued to limit the Lady Eagles’ chances with a dazzling performance on the mound on her way to helping lead the Lady Bulldogs to a 6-0 victory.

Ballard led the way for the Lady Bulldogs by going 2-for-2 with two RBIs. Jones was 2-for-2 with one RBI.

Ray was the winning pitcher with six strikeouts and just two hits allowed in four innings of work.