The Opp Lady Bobcats cruised through the Andalusia Bulldog Bash softball tournament with wins over Houston Academy, Andalusia before topping the Pleasant Home Lady Eagles in Saturday’s championship game at the Dwight Mikel Sports Complex.

OPP 7,

ANDALUSIA 6

In the first game Saturday morning, the Lady Bobcats held off a late comeback attempt by Andalusia to give Opp a 7-6 victory.

Andalusia got things started in the bottom of the first inning with Aaliyah Lawrence reaching on off of an error.

Haley Harper followed with a single to left field and then Millie Manring put the Lady Bulldogs up 1-0 with a run scoring single.

Andalusia extended the lead to 3-0 one batter later when Haley Ballard ripped a double to left that scored Harper and Manring.

Ariyon Hightower and Loryn Praytor reached on walks to start the top of the second inning for the Lady Bobcats.

Morgan Johnson followed with a single to right that scored Hightower.

Graceanne Spears then made it a one-run game when she drove in Praytor with a single to right.

The Lady Bobcats then tied the game on a sacrifice fly from Laura Lee Short.

In the top of the third inning, the Lady Bobcats went up 5-3 on two-run single from Hightower.

Praytor followed with a single down the left field line that allowed Hightower to score from first to give the Lady Bobcats a 6-3 advantage.

Spears drove in Praytor a few batters later to give the Lady Bobcats a 7-3 lead heading into the bottom of the third.

Manring and Ballard singled to get the Lady Bulldogs started in the bottom of the third inning and Zaria Jones drove in Manring with a fielder’s choice to short.

In the bottom of the fifth inning, Olivia Amerson drove in Sydney Ray with a single and Mary Katherine Salter drove in Alana Nettles to make the score 7-6 with one out left in the game.

The Lady Bobcats induced a ground to first base to secure the 7-6 win.

OPP 4,

ANDALUSIA 1

In the tournament’s semi-final game, the Lady Bobcats grabbed an early lead and held off the Lady Bulldogs for a 4-1 victory.

Maggie Short got the bottom of the first inning started with a single and then moved up to second base when Praytor reached off an error.

Hightower then drove in M. Short to give the Lady Bobcats a 1-0 lead.

The Lady Bulldogs picked up a strikeout for the first out of the inning before a single loaded up the bases for the Lady Bobcats.

L. Short then drew a walk that allowed Praytor to score for the Lady Bobcats.

After a strikeout for the second out, a walk to Morgan Pierce put the Lady Bobcats up 3-0.

Haley Ballard single to start things for the Lady Bulldogs in the top of the fourth inning and then moved up to second on a sacrifice bunt from Jones.

Ray followed with a single that allowed Ballard to come around to score.

Praytor drove in the Lady Bobcats final run in the bottom of the fourth inning when she singled home M. Short.

Lady Bobcat pitcher Spears picked up two groundouts and a strikeout in the final inning to give the Lady Bobcats a 4-1 win.

OPP 4,

PLEASANT HOME 3

The Opp Lady Bobcats battled their way into the Bulldog Bash championship game on Saturday evening where they topped the Pleasant Home Lady Eagles 4-3 to earn the tournament title.

Opp grabbed the lead in the top of the third inning when Hightower ripped a double to right field that allowed Praytor to come around to score.

In the top of the sixth inning, the Lady Bobcats got singles from Hightower and Johnson to start the inning and then a fielder’s choice off the bat of Spears gave Opp a 3-0 advantage.

L. Short followed with a sacrifice fly to center field that put the Lady Bobcats on top 4-0.

Sissy Martin singled to start the bottom of the sixth inning for the Lady Eagles and then Amy Bulger followed with a blast to center for a two-run home run.

The Lady Eagles got the first two runners to reach in bottom of the seventh trailing 4-2, and then error of the bat of Martin allowed the Lady Eagles to cut the lead down to one with two outs remaining in the game.

The Lady Eagles had runners on first and third with one out, trailing 4-3, with Bulger coming up to the plate.

Lady Bobcat pitcher got Bulger to pop up to short for the second out and then got a strikeout for the final out the give Opp a 4-3 championship win.