E.A. Sports Today

Local players lead Vipers

Oxford’s Waldrep, Spring Garden’s McGinnis shine as team earns a spot in national tournament

By East Alabama Sports Today

CHATTANOOGA, Tenn. – Oxford’s Rylee Waldrep was strong in the circle and Spring Garden’s Payton McGinnis was strong at the plate as the Birmingham Vipers-Woodruff earned a trip to the national tournament by winning the 16U A Class ASA Eastern Elite National Qualifier over the weekend.

The Vipers went 6-0 at Warner Park, outscoring their opponents 40-8, to earn a spot in the ASA A Class Softball Nationals in College Station, Texas, in August.

Waldrep, the Class 6A Pitcher of the Year, threw 15 innings in the tournament, allowing seven hits, two earned runs and striking out 17. McGinnis, the Class 1A first-team all-state shortstop, was 13-of-18 at the plate. White Plains’ Katie Roszell also plays on the team.

There’s no rest for the team. It leaves Tuesday for Colorado to play in the massive Louisville Slugger Independence Day Tournament, one of biggest showcase tournaments in the country with more than 350 colleges represented.

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