CULLMAN – Cullman can say they were battled tested in the pre-state blowout they hosted at Heritage Park.
The Lady Bearcats faced a stout group of opponents with the last two games coming against a No. 1 and a No. 2.
A huge win for the program took place in the semifinal round when they pulled off a 4-1 upset of top ranked and defending 2A state champion Sumiton Christian.
Then in the title bout with No. 2 Sparkman from the 7A ranks, Cullman gave it a great effort, but fell in the battle by a score of 1-0.
Cullman went 3-2 in the tournament and will head to the postseason at 27-16. The Lady 'Cats will get the 6A, Area 15 Tournament on campus starting Tuesday with a first round game vs. Decatur.
After a 4-3 loss to Helena on Friday to open pool play then seeing the rest of the schedule postponed by a thunderstorm, Cullman bounced back starting with a 9-1 romp of Brewer in its second game in Pool A.
Claire Jenkins led off the game with a solo homer that sparked a first run inning of six runs and Cullman was in command from there.
Tiffani Schwaiger had two runs driven in for Cullman in the first with McKensi Burks driving in a run on a double and Jenkins getting a single in her second plate appearance in the inning.
Burks added to her RBI total with a run in the second and a run-scoring double by Sierra Easterwood completed the tally for the No. 10 Lady 'Cats.
Cullman then shut out Corner 1-0 in tournament play as Olivia Schwaiger was solid in the circle and the lone run was during the first as Jenkins singled and scored later on a sac fly by Easterwood.
Up next was second ranked Chelsea from Class 6A. With Hannah Morton going deep twice, Cullman pulled it out 7-4.
Morton cracked a three-run shot in the first then answered with a grand slam in the second as the Lady 'Cats held a 7-2 advantage at that point.
Her run production was all they needed to punch a ticket to the semis vs. Sumiton Christian. Sumiton came into the Final Four with four wins and outscored the tournament opposition 12-0.
Sumiton took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first. Cullman tied the game at 1-1 in the third on Easterwood hitting a single after Jenkins led off the inning with a walk.
Then in the Cullman fifth, Easterwood drove in the go ahead runs with a single that kicked off the second base bag, scoring Tiffani Schwaiger and pinch runner Kennedy Wren.
A strikeout by Morton turned out to be big as the ball got by the catcher and Taiya Ponder sprinted home to make it 4-1.
Olivia Schwaiger then retired the Sumiton side in order and Cullman had fought its way to the championship match with another stout them waiting to face them.
Sparkman entered the finals with back-to-back shutouts of Hartselle (2-0) in the quarters and Fort Payne (5-0) in the semis.
The visitors from the Huntsville area took a 1-0 lead when the executed a sacrifice bunt. Mackenzie Nutt put the ball deep enough between Schwaiger and Hannah Morton at third, scoring T.J. Webster who singled with one out in the inning.
But Cullman gave it a good challenge as Morton and Elli Dixon produced singles to put runners on base with no outs in the Lady 'Cats final appearance at the plate.
Reliever Kailey Stokes got Burks to ground to short, forcing out Morton for the first out.
Cullman then had a break when a pitch to Olivia Schwaiger got away from catcher Courtney McFarlene, giving Dixon a chance to reach third and Burks to move to second.
However, Stokes came back and got Schwaiger to pop out to Amanda Shikoh for the second out.
Tiffani Schwaiger followed with a scorcher down the third base line that Shikoh backhanded, got it out of her glove and threw across the diamond to nail Schwaiger and end an entertaining championship game.
Getting challenged by Helena, Corner, Sumiton Christian and Sparkman will be a motivator for coach Stephanie Conner with the Lady 'Cats to host the 6A, Area 15 Tournament Tuesday.
Cullman plays Decatur in the first round with Hartselle and Austin to meet in the other assignment. Cullman is wanting another run at the state tournament as they finished fourth in the event in Montgomery in 2015.
The champion and runner-up from the area qualifies for the North Regional the following week in Huntsville.
