E.A. Sports Today

Set up for success

Softball roundup: Lady Raiders score second beach sweep in as many days, complete Gulf Coast III pool play undefeated

TUESDAY’S SCORES
Gulf Coast Classic III
(Calhoun County teams)

Alexandria 9, Crossville 0
Alexandria 14, Childersburg 0
Ohatchee 4, Addison 3
Pleasant Valley 7, Dekalb Co. (Tenn.) 3
Pleasant Valley 9, Homewood 0

By East Alabama Sports Today

GULF SHORES – The Pleasant Valley softball team is having an historic week at the beach.

The Lady Raiders won two more games in the Gulf Coast Classic III Tuesday to complete pool play 4-0 for the first time in 12 years. They beat DeKalb County (Tenn.) 7-3 and Homewood 9-0.

They go into Wednesday’s single-elimination round as the No. 9 seed. They’ll play Addison at 11 a.m.

“That’s pretty special,” PV coach David Bryant said of the historic start. “We’ve set ourselves up well in pool play, so I hope we can make a run at it tomorrow.”

Of course, the trip is about more than the softball and the travel party is winning in that area as well.

“Our parents and kids have gotten along so well – our team chemistry has been great,” Bryant said. “I love to win, but more than that I love our attitudes and frame of mind right now, which is attributed to everyone putting self aside and playing for each other.”

Mac Parris and Bailey Harris both drove in a pair of runs in the Dekalb game. Parris had a two-run bases-loaded single in the third inning that broke a 2-2 tie. Harris was hit by a pitch with the bases loaded later in the inning and had an RBI single in the fifth.

Leah Patterson and Madison Borders combined on a two-hit shutout in the Homewood game. The Lady Raiders (16-7) scored six runs in the first inning to take control and added three in the fourth, highlighted by Parris’ two-run homer.

Alexandria spins two gems: Emmah Rolfe threw a five-inning no-hitter and struck out five as the Lady Cubs blanked Crossville 9-0. Then, Lanie Dreyer pitched a five-inning one-hitter and struck out nine as the Lady Cubs blanked Childersburg 14-0.

They are the No. 7 seed in the single-elimination round and will play Ravenwood of Nashville, Tenn., Wednesday at 8 a.m.

Rolfe was a two-out walk in the fifth away from a perfect game against Crossville. She also drove in three runs in the game. Ashley Phillips and Dreyer each drove in two runs.

The only hit Dreyer allowed was a one-out single in the fourth. She was supported by 17 hits. Maggie Phillips went 4-for-4 with five RBIs and Millie Burt was 4-for-4 with four RBIs. Mattie Wade, Leighton Sparks, Ashley Phillips and Alyssa Carrizales all had two hits.

COUNTY TOURNAMENT: Alexandria, Pleasant Valley, White Plains and Oxford pulled down the top four seeds in the double-loss elimination Calhoun County Softball Tournament at Choccolocco Park that starts April 10.

Here is first-day winners bracket schedule. Records are as of seeding meeting (county, overall):

CALHOUN COUNTY TOURNAMENT
April 10
No. 7 Ohatchee (3-5, 9-10) vs. No. 10 Piedmont (1-1, 1-5), 4:30 p.m. (F1)
No. 6 Weaver (0-2, 10-4) vs. No. 11 Faith Christian (1-1, 1-9), 4:30 p.m. (F2)
No. 4 Oxford (0-0, 8-9) vs. No. 13 Anniston (0-0. 0-4), 4:30 p.m. (F3)
No. 5 Wellborn (5-1, 7-4) vs. No. 12 JCA (0-1, 1-4), 4:30 p.m. (F4)
No. 8 Jacksonville (2-4, 4-12) vs. No. 9 Saks (1-6, 2-13), 4:30 p.m. (F5)
Ohatchee-Piedmont winner vs. No. 2 Pleasant Valley (3-0, 12-7), 6 p.m. (F1)
Weaver-Faith winner vs. No. 3 White Plains (4-0, 10-8), 6 p.m. (F2)
Oxford-Anniston winner vs. Wellborn-JCA winner, 6 p.m. (F3)
Jacksonville-Saks winner vs. No. 1 Alexandria (0-0, 6-1), 6 p.m. (F4)

Winner’s bracket finals, April 12, 7:30 p.m. (F1)
Loser’s bracket finals, April 13, 6 p.m. (Sig)
Championship game No. 1, April 13, 7:30 p.m. (Sig)
“If” Championship game, April 13, 9 p.m. (Sig)

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