CULLMAN – Senior night for the Cullman High softball team was a great one on Tuesday after the Lady Bearcats rolled by the Hartselle Lady Tigers 12-0.
The Lady Bearcats broke the game open with an impressive fifth inning, scoring 11 runs on nine hits. The game ended when Claire Jenkins, one of four Cullman seniors, ripped a pitch over the left field fence for a three-run homer to end the game by the 10-run rule.
Cullman had grabbed a 1-0 lead after the first when Jenkins led off the inning for the Lady 'Cats with a home run, her fifth of the season in leading off the game.
That would be all the runs Cullman managed against Hartselle starter Hope Cain. Cain allowed a walk to Jenkins and an error on a grounder by Taiya Ponder in the third. Cain got out of trouble in the third and set Cullman down in order during the fourth.
But a change was made in the Hartselle fifth in the pitcher's circle. Freshman McKenzie Jackson was called in and never could get out of tough times.
Cullman would score a run on a wild pitch and a passed ball, plus had Jenkins to single in a run, Hannah Morton to drive in one on a sacrifice fly, Elli Dixon singled in two runs, Olivia Schwaiger got a two-run single, Tiffani Schwaiger an RBI single.
Then it was time for Jenkins to put this game into the win column. She did at 5:55 p.m., her second home run of the contest and 17th round tripper of the season.
It allowed Cullman to complete 6A, Area 15 play in the regular season at 6-0. The Lady 'Cats will host the area tournament in a couple of weeks.
After giving up two singles in the Hartselle second, Olivia Schwaiger pitched her way out of trouble and would retire 12 batters in a row.
The right-hander would strike out six, issue no walks and not let a Hartselle runner get beyond first base following the second.
Jenkins, Ponder, Dixon and Kylie Witcher were honored after the game in a ceremony recognizing the 2016 Cullman seniors. The foursome helped the Lady 'Cats produce 24 wins in 36 games and go undefeated in assignments played at the diamond on the Cullman High campus.
Like baseball, Cullman softball has dominated Hartselle this year. In two games, the Lady 'Cats have shut out the Lady Tigers by a combined total of 15-0. Cullman won at Hartselle 3-0 on March 29.
The two spring sport teams are 6-0 combined against their arch rival from Morgan County.
Hartselle and Cullman are possible to see each other in the Area 15 softball tournament. Hartselle is 3-3, second in the area, ahead of Austin and Decatur.
