By Al Muskewitz
East Alabama Sports Today
Lady Bulldogs edge Pleasant Valley to earn their first trip to the Class 3A softball state tournament in the fast-pitch era
CLASS 3A STATE PAIRINGS
At Choccolocco Park, Oxford
Friday’s 10:45 a.m. games
Fyffe (27-13-2) vs. Prattville Christian (32-8), Field 1
Houston Academy vs. Beulah (24-15), Field 2
Piedmont (25-23-1) vs. Mobile Christian (25-9), Field 3
Oakman (24-11) vs. Plainview (38-7-1), Field 4
Second round and losers bracket, 2:15 p.m.
Third round and losers bracket, 5 p.m.
Championship, Saturday, 5 p.m.
MONTGOMERY – Rachel Smith knew the water cooler bath was coming, but is there really anything that can prepare you for that initial shock of icy water on hot skin after a long day in the arena of competition?
The Piedmont softball coach got doused after the Lady Bulldogs edged county rival Pleasant Valley 4-3 in the Class 3A East Regional elimination bracket final at Lagoon Park Saturday to earn their first trip to the state tournament in the fast-pitch era.
The Lady Bulldogs (25-23-1) will play South Region champion Mobile Christian (25-9) in their state tournament opener Friday, 10:45 a.m. at Choccolocco Park. The Oxford facility was awarded the championships for the next two years earlier this spring.
“This program has been working towards this goal for a long time; this has been the big goal,” Smith said. “When I took the job that’s what we started talking about.
“We started having elementary softball camps and generating interest. I’ve got a photo of little girls in the first, second and third grades who were part of those initial camps who are a part of this team. When you talk about trying to make strides in the program and the culture, it starts with the youth and we’re seeing the fruits of that growth.”
The players asked Smith before the game if they could give her the water cooler if they won and second baseman/daughter Savannah said “she was all for it if we win.” While the players on the field for the final out were celebrating in the infield, the players in the dugout went for the water bucket and didn’t miss their target.
“It actually felt really good,” Smith said. “We were all very hot and sunburned.”
The Lady Bulldogs fell into the elimination bracket through a 1-0 no-hit loss to Beulah in the winner’s bracket final that sent the winners to the state tournament. They waited on Pleasant Valley to get through Geraldine (4-1) and Glencoe (10-2) to set up the showdown.
PV jumped on them for three unearned runs in the first inning. But the Lady Bulldogs closed the gap with two in the second, highlight by Z’Hayla Walker’s solo homer, and took the lead in the fifth on Grace Epperson’s run-scoring groundout and Emily Farmer’s go-ahead double. Farmer, one of the graduates of those developmental camps, pitched into the seventh inning and hit two doubles in the game.
“I told the girls before the game regardless what happened in the past this game is going to come down to will and determination and guts and who wants it the most,” Smith said. “I said if you go out there determined you will take it today, it will happen.”
After falling behind Pleasant Valley put the tying run in scoring position in each of the last three innings, but the Lady Bulldogs didn’t yield. They ended the threat in the sixth on a double play.
Savannah Smith entered the circle in the seventh after PV drew a leadoff walk. She shut it down on a sacrifice that moved the runner to second, a ground out that moved the runner to third and a game-inning pop to the pitcher.
In three regional appearances in the circle (15 innings), Smith allowed only seven hits, one unearned run and struck out eight.
“I knew my defense had my back,” she said. “When Maggie Byers got the ground ball out I knew we had it right there. I trust my defense.
“Back in my 10th grade year we went to regionals and lost and last year we felt like we had a really good chance and got cut short. I feel like everybody came back and said we’re getting it this year and getting to state. Our team has worked our tails off in practice and we’ve gotten better with every game. This is a really big deal for our seniors. I’m glad our team could do it for them.”
The loss left the Lady Raiders (36-15) one win shy of a trip to the state tournament and tied for the single-season school record for victories in the fast-pitch era. Pitcher Leah Patterson set the single-season school record for strikeouts (249).
CLASS 3A EAST REGIONAL
Elimination bracket final
Piedmont 4, Pleasant Valley 3
Piedmont 020 020 0 – 4 8 4
Pleasant Valley 300 000 0 – 3 4 0
WP: Emily Farmer. LP: Leah Patterson. 2B: Emily Farmer 2 (P), Jaycee Glover (P), Ava Boozer (PV). HR: Z’Hayla Walker (P).
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