E.A. Sports Today

Calhoun County softball

Piedmont voted top seed headed into this week’s tournament; Oxford No. 2 seed, defending champion Alexandria No. 3 and White Plains No. 4

By East Alabama Sports Today

Piedmont will be the No. 1 seeded in this week’s Calhoun County softball tournament after Sunday’s county coaches vote at Wellborn High School. The top county seed marks a first for Piedmont softball.

“It certainly is an honor to be thought of as a one seed in the presence of so many strong softball programs in Calhoun County,” Piedmont coach Rachel Smith said. “It doesn’t mean we have accomplished anything, though. and six months from now, nobody will remember who was seeded number one.

“They only remember who finished first. We still have a lot of work to do as a team and much to prove.”

After Monday’s rainout, the tourney starts Tuesday at Woodland Park and concludes with Thursday’s semifinals and finals at Jacksonville State University.

Piedmont (15-7) has a 10-2 record against county competition.The Class 3A Bulldogs are 2-1 against 6A Oxford and 4A White Plains, 1-0 against 5A Alexandria, 1-0 against 4A Jacksonville and a combined 4-0 against 3A opponents Wellborn, Saks and Weaver.

No. 2 seed Oxford (12-4) and No. 3 seed and defending champion Alexandria (16-12) are ranked in their classifications in the Alabama Sports Writers Association poll. No. 4 seed White Plains (12-8) has been nominated for consideration in 4A.

Piedmont, having made the state tournament for the first two times in the program’s fast-pitch history over the past two seasons, is No. 5 in the 3A top 10. The Bulldogs won the White Plains Lady Wildcat Invitational, beating Oxford, Alexandria and White Plains along the way. Oxford also beat Piedmont in pool play.

Piedmont made the semifinals of the Hixson (Tenn.) High School tournament this past weekend.

Rounding out seeds for this week’s county tournament: No. 5 Pleasant Valley (6-6), No. 6 Ohatchee (12-10), No. 7 Weaver (8-2), No. 8 Jacksonville (6-10), No. 9 Wellborn (3-9), No. 10 Jacksonville Christian (2-3), No. 11 Saks (1-17), No. 12 Faith Christian (1-10) and No. 13 Anniston (0-3).

2023 Calhoun County softball tournament
Tuesday
Woodland Park

No. 7 Weaver vs. No. 10 Jacksonville Christian, 4 p.m.
No. 6 Ohatchee vs. No. 11 Saks, 4 p.m.
No. 4 White Plains vs. No. 13 Anniston, 4 p.m.
No. 5 Pleasant Valley vs. No. 12 Faith Christian, 4 p.m.
No. 8 Jacksonville vs. No. 9 Wellborn, 4 p.m.
No. 2 Oxford vs. Weaver/JCA, 5:30 p.m.
No. 3 Alexandria vs. Ohatchee-Saks, 5:30 p.m.
White Plains/Anniston vs. PV/Faith, 5:30 p.m.
No. 1 Piedmont vs. Jacksonville/Weaver, 5:30 p.m.
Elimination bracket games 5:30 and 7 p.m.
Wednesday
Woodland Park

Winners’ bracket semifinals, 4 p.m.
Winners’ bracket final, 7 p.m.
Elimination bracket games, 4, 5:30 and 7 p.m.
Thursday
Jacksonville State University
Elimination bracket final, 4 p.m.
Championship, 6 p.m.
If-necessary game, 8 p.m.

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