TUSCALOOSA – The Addison Lady Bulldogs took on no. 2 South Lamar Friday in the AHSAA North Central Regional in Tuscaloosa, looking to advance to the Class 1A state championship for the first time since 2014. They did it. The Lady Bulldogs took the Lady Stallions, 5-4.
The Lady Stallions got on the scoreboard first. Addison starter Anna Luker hit the lead-off batter, Nealy McManus, to start the game. Luker was one out away from getting out of the inning after getting the next two batters. But, Mackenzie Hollinger kept the inning alive with an RBI single to give South Lamar an early 1-0 lead. Then, Luker and the Lady Stallions' Hollinger put up zeros for the next one-and-a-half innings as neither offense could get anything going. South Lamar added to its early lead in the top of the third. Madison Trull reached on a bunt single to lead off the inning, then she stole second; she moved to third on a groundout by McManus. Emma Newman hit an RBI single to make it a 2-0 lead for the Lady Stallions.
After being held to just one hit through the first three innings, the Lady Bulldogs looked to finally get their offense going in the fourth. Cecilee Gaither led off the inning with a single to right field. Macey Butler hit one of her own, but Gaither got thrown out at second. Luker hit another one to left field to put runners on first and second with one out. Abbie Chambless lined an RBI single to right field to put Addison on the scoreboard. Madison Aderholt then drew a walk to load the bases. After Kendra Tyree popped out for out number two, Lexie Cunningham drew a bases-loaded walk to tie the game at two.
Carley Lamb led off the South Lamar fifth inning with a single, then after getting two outs, Luker gave up an RBI single to Newman to give the Lady Stallions a 3-2 lead. But Addison got that run back and then some in its half. Destiny Walker put down a bunt and reached on an error by McManus, then Walker advanced to third on a throwing error by McManus. Gaither tied the game at three as she lined an RBI single to left field. Then, back-to-back singles by Butler and Luker loaded the bases for Chambless and Aderholt, who each hit RBI singles to give the Lady Bulldogs a 5-3 lead.
Luker worked around a single and an error in the sixth inning to get out unscathed but ran into a little trouble in the seventh. After getting the first two batters in the inning, she was one out away from ending the game. Natalie Watkins, though, kept the inning alive for South Lamar with a double to right field, then Hollinger hit an RBI single to make it a 5-4 game. Luker got Lauren Vines to pop out to her to end the game, punching the Lady Bulldogs’ ticket to Montgomery for the first time since 2014.
Chambless finished with two hits and a pair of RBIs for Addison. Gaither (one run scored) and Aderholt each collected a pair of hits and an RBI. Cunningham also had an RBI in the game. Macey Butler finished with three hits and two runs scored. Luker chipped in with a pair of hits and a run scored. Kendra Tyree and Laken Tyree each added a hit and Walker scored a run.
The Lady Bulldogs are now 17-19 overall on the season and will take on no. 9 Skyline, the North Regional Tournament runner-up, next Wednesday at 9 a.m.
Class 3A North Central Regional Results
Ohatchee 6, Holly Pond 4
Oakman 11, Holly Pond 9 (Loser's bracket game)
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