HEADLAND — One run was the difference for Andalusia and Straughn on Thursday at the Class 4A, Area 3 tournament.

The Lady Bulldogs fell to Ashford 6-5 in the loser’s bracket championship game, and Straughn lost 4-3 to Andalusia in its elimination contest.

The Lady Tigers fell to Ashford 9-8 in its first game of the day.

For Andalusia, the Lady Bulldogs played Headland, and fell 12-1 to the Lady Rams.

Both teams ended their respective seasons at the tournament.

 

Ashford 6, Andalusia 5

Andalusia’s Abbie Young hit a two-run home run in the top of the seventh inning to tie the game at 5-all.

“That amazing home run back there that’s what we needed,” AHS coach Teresa Herring said. “I sat there telling her the whole time that I want you to hit it over that Salter Field sign. She let it fly. She pitched a great game, too.

“Defensively, we had a couple mistakes here and there, and that of course always hurts,” she said. “But, they fought. That’s nothing more you can ask from a team.”

However, the Lady Yellow Jackets loaded the bases on two hits and a hit batter and Brantlee Kirkland hit an RBI single to score Chasity Meyer to help Ashford seal the deal and earn a berth to play in the south regional tournament next week in Gulf Shores.

With one out, Andalusia’s Andi Hughes reached on a single, and Maggie Lambert recorded the second out for the Lady Bulldogs in the seventh, scattering a hit to third base.

On an 0-1 pitch, Young hit the ball over left-center to put the game at a tie for the second time.

Andalusia and Ashford were tied 1-1 after the first inning, but the Lady Yellow Jackets tacked on two runs in the third inning on an error and an RBI single from Meyer.

The Lady Bulldogs fought back in the fifth when Lambert delivered a two-run shot to score Jessica Park and Hughes, who both reached on walks.

Katie Gordon got the win for the Lady Yellow Jackets, pitching a complete game and giving up five runs on five hits and striking out four.

Young went 2-for-3 with a home run; and Lambert went 1-for-4 with two RBIs.

Ashford’s Allison Moore went 3-for-4; and Rebecca Laney went 2-for-3.

In the loss to Headland, Young led the Lady Bulldogs and went 2-for-3. Andalusia scored one run in the first inning on a passed ball.

Headland scored seven runs in the first inning. The Lady Rams were led by KB Drew, who went 1-for-2 with a home run.

 

Andalusia 4, Straughn 3

Trailing 3-0 in the top of the sixth inning, Andalusia put together four runs on three hits with two outs to get the win over its rival.

The Lady Bulldogs had Young and Sam Greene on base and recorded the second out on a pop up to second.

Greeley Foshee then reached on an error, and Tori Cleghorn singled Young in to give AHS its first run of the game.

Olivia Dixon then walked Greene home and Park hit a two-run double to give the Lady Bulldogs their first lead and win.

“That’s the way it goes,” SHS coach Trent Taylor said about having good innings. “We played well for six innings. We kind of did that in the first one, too (against Ashford). We hit the ball and had a good inning, but they got one more than we did in our good inning. We had a chance right there in the end, but we just couldn’t get the hits.”

Lambert allowed two earned runs and struck out three to receive the win.

Straughn scored two runs in the third inning when Molly Stewart scored on a stolen base from third, and Kristen Peavey’s RBI double.

The Lady Tigers took a 3-0 lead in the fourth on a Stewart walk that scored Hayden Willis, who also reached on a walk.

Straughn threatened in the bottom of the seventh with two on and one out, but good defensive plays by Andalusia at the short stop and second base positions netted the Lady Bulldogs the win.

Park and Greene went 3-for-4 each to lead AHS.

Katelyn Kinsaul, Peavey, Jacie Williamson and Morgan Waite had one hit each for SHS.