FLORENCE, Ala. – West Point traveled to Coffee O’Neal Park in Florence for day one of this year’s North Regional Tournament Wednesday and overcame an early deficit in its first game to come from behind and pick up a big win. The Lady Warriors were held to just one run on two hits in the first four innings before getting hot in the fifth and pulling away to defeat East Limestone 10-4.
An RBI double gave the Lady Indians an early 1-0 lead in the top of the first, but Carlie Wilkins struck out the next three batters she faced in the top of the second. Braelee Quinn led off the bottom of the second with a single into right field but that was all the offense West Point could find in the inning. A 2-run homer put East Limestone on top 3-0 in the top of the third, but the Lady Warriors were able to cut into the lead with an RBI double from Wilkins in the bottom half of the inning to make it 3-1
After a scoreless fourth inning, the Lady Indians tacked on another run in the top of the fifth to make it a 4-1 game, but West Point responded in a big in way in the bottom half of the fifth. Bethany Minck reached base on an error with two outs and Lexi Shadix drove a single up the middle to put a pair of runners on the bases. Wilkins was then intentionally walked but Sydney Sellers made them pay with a 2-run single into left field that cut the lead to 4-3. After Quinn was hit by a pitch, Brindlee Phillips kept the inning going with a single down the left field line that plated two more runs and gave the Lady Warriors a 5-4 lead going into the sixth.
East Limestone led off the sixth with a pair of singles, but Wilkins retired the next three batters to get out of the jam. West Point’s bats stayed hot in the bottom half of the inning. Lexi Kimbril drilled a solo shot over the right field fence to add another run to the lead and after Minck was hit by a pitch and Shadix singled to left, Wilkins laced a double into center field to give the Lady Warriors a 7-4 advantage. Sellers blew things open a few pitches later when she lifted a 3-run bomb over the fence in left field to make it a 10-4 game going into the final frame.
West Point collected the final three outs in the top of the seventh to complete the comeback and defeat East Limestone 10-4.
Wilkins tossed a complete game for the Lady Warriors, allowing four runs on six hits and racking up 13 strikeouts. Sellers led the way for West Point at the plate, posting five RBIs in the win and Wilkins (two hits) and Phillips (one hit) each drove in a pair of runs as well.
Hayden 6 – West Point 3 (Game Two)
After defeating East Limestone in the opening round, West Point advanced in the winner’s bracket to take on Hayden. The Lady Warriors were held to just two hits in the first six innings but got the bats going in the final frame and were able to chip away at the lead. However, it was too little, too late and West Point fell to the Lady Wildcats 6-3.
The Lady Wildcats led off the game with a solo homerun to take an early 1-0 lead and after a scoreless second inning, they led of the top of the third with another solo shot to make it a 2-0 game. A bases-loaded walk put Hayden on top 3-0 in the top of the fourth and the Lady Warriors got their first hit of the game in the bottom half of the inning when Lexi Shadix drove a single up the middle, but she was left stranded and West Point trailed 3-0 going into the fifth.
An RBI single gave the Lady Wildcats another run in the top of the fifth to make it a 4-0 game and despite a leadoff single from Braelee Quinn, the Lady Warriors were held scoreless once again in the bottom half of the inning and trailed 4-0 going into the sixth.
Hayden tacked on another run to move in front 5-0 in the top of the sixth and West Point went down in order in its half of the inning. The Lady Wildcats put one more on the board in the top of the seventh to add to the lead and the Lady Warriors found themselves down 6-0 and down to their final three outs. Wilkins led off the bottom of the seventh with a single and Sydney Sellers drew a walk to put a pair of runners on base. That’s when Braelee Quinn finally got West Point on the board with a 3-run bomb over the left field fence that cut the lead to 6-3 and gave the Lady Warriors new life. Unfortunately, that was all that West Point could chip away and Hayden held on to win it 6-3.
Quinn (3-run HR), Shadix and Wilkins posted the only four hits in the loss for the Lady Warriors. Wilkins allowed just three earned runs on seven hits and struck out 10 batters.
West Point will return to Florence tomorrow to face East Limestone once again in an elimination game at 9 a.m.
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