Calhoun County, AL – White Plains wins four games on Saturday to win Albertville Pre-Area Tournament; Alexandria, Oxford each win two in the tournament, and PV split two games
White Plains’ softball team just completed its biggest weekend of the season to date.
Leighton Arnold homered, tripled and drove in four runs as the Wildcats beat Albertville 7-5 on Saturday to complete a 5-1 run in the Pre-Area Tournament at Sand Mountain Park.
White Plains (25-13) prevailed in a 22-team tournament that included Alexandria, Oxford, Piedmont, Pleasant Valley and Spring Garden. The tournament played out at the host site for the AHSAA East Regional, set for May 9-12.
White Plains split two Friday games, beating DAR 8-1 and losing to Sand Rock 2-1.
The Wildcats went 4-0 on Saturday, beating Arab 6-3, Fort Payne 5-1, East Hamilton (Tenn.) 8-7 and Albertville.
“Today was a step in the right direction,” White Plains coach Tiffany Williams said. “Our girls showed up this weekend.”
Against Albertville, Hallie Williams went 2-for-3 with a double, two runs and an RBI. Callie Richardson had two hits and an RBI, and Cassidy Arnold had a single and RBI.
Arnold and Kannon Slaughter combined to hold Albertville to five hits and two earned runs over five innings. They struck out five batters.
In the semifinals, White Plains took an 8-3 lead with three runs in the fifth inning then withstood East Hamilton’s four-run rally in the bottom of the fifth.
Karli Otwell starred against East Hamilton, going 2-for-4 with four RBIs. Richardson had a triple among her two hits and two RBIs, and Arnold drove in a run,
Leighton Arnold pitched a two-hitter against Fort Payne. She held Arab to three hits with seven strikeouts in five innings, and she and Richardson homered against the Knights.
She reached 20 home runs and surpassed 200 strikeouts for the season, reaching 214.
The bad news for White Plains was another injury. Cooper Martin sustained a broken clavicle and will miss the rest of the season. The Wildcats lost Kristen Rhodes and Braeton Moran to injuries earlier this season.
“We’re praying for her (Martin) and our other two who are injured,” Williams said. “It was tough seeing another get hurt, but we fought together, executed when we needed to and, ultimately, played for each other.”
ALEXANDRIA: The Valley Cubs went 2-2 in Albertville, including an 8-4 victory over Piedmont.
In the tourney’s only showdown of area teams, Charlee Parris homered while going 2-for-3 with two runs and four RBIs. Allyssa Hunt went 2-for-3 with a double and two runs, and Brenlee Sparks went 2-for-3 with a run. Lauren Weber tripled and drove in a run, and Jill Cockrell hit a solo home run.
Makenna Prickett and Pressley Slaton combined for the win against Piedmont, allowing 11 hits over six innings and two earned runs.
Alexandria (22-18) also beat Ider 8-5 and lost to Fort Payne 2-1 and Sand Rock 8-7.
Against Ider, Cockrell hit a solo home run. Christian Hess had a triple, double and two RBIs, and Weber had a triple among her two hits with an RBI.
OXFORD: Oxford went 2-2 in Albertville, beating Beauregard 9-0 and Hokes Bluff 12-1 and losing to North Jackson 8-3 and Cedar Bluff 6-2.
Oxford (24-8) belted 11 hits with 11 RBIs against Hokes Bluff. Raina Zachery went 2-for-3 with a double and four RBIs, and Justice Woods was 2-for-3 with a triple, three runs and two RBIs.
Oxford also got a triple from Ashlyn Burns and doubles from Kenlee Rogers and Madison Murphy.
Berkley Mooney pitched a three-hitter against Beauregard, striking out 10 batters over six innings. She also had a double and two RBIs.
Zachery went 2-for-2 with a double, run and three RBIs. Burns had a triple, double, run and RBI.
Rodgers and Adajiah Wilson each had a double. Rodgers went 3-for-3, and Wilson had an RBI.
PLEASANT VALLEY: The Raiders (14-11) went 1-1, beating Valley Head 11-0 and falling to East Hamilton 4-0 in a lightning-shortened game before cutting their stay short because of Elite Night on Saturday.
Against Valley Head, Ellie Patterson and Haylie Lee combined for a one-hitter. Both had two strikeouts.
Madyson Cromer hit two homers and drove in three runs, and Lily Henry was 2-for-2 with a homer, run and three RBIs.
Rebekah Gannaway doubled and drove in two runs, and Macey Roper went 2-for-2 with a double, three runs and an RBI.
PIEDMONT: The Bulldogs (28-14) went 0-4 in Albertville, losing to Alexandria 8-4, Beauregard 12-4, Ider 3-1 and Fort Payne 6-4. [read more sports stories…]
