Piedmont remained prefect in Class 2A, Area 12 softball with a 5-0 win over White Plains Tuesday at White Plains. Rain on Monday caused the game to be played Tuesday. The Ragland game, originally scheduled for Tuesday, was cancelled. Miranda Givens hurled the seven-inning shutout. Only three Wildcats reached base while Givens fanned four batters.
The game was close until the final inning. The Bulldogs scored once in the third inning. With one out, Brooke Dixon singled to left field. Heather Cain reached on a fielder’s choice, forcing Dixon at second base. Miranda Stewart’s double put runners on second and third. Andreka Harbour singled up the middle to score Cain.
Givens made the 1-0 lead stand up until the Bulldogs scored four insurance runs in the visitors’ seventh.
Kylea Cook led off with a single to center. Dixon bunted then beat the throw for a base hit. Cain sacrificed, putting Cook on third and Dixon on second, and Stewart drove both runners home with a single to center. Harbour singled and Brittany Strott bunted for a hit, loading the bases. Givens reached on a fielder’s choice, scoring Stewart. Brittany Hanvey’s RBI single plated Brea Dixon, running for Harbour.
Piedmont improved to 4-0 in 2A, Area 12. The Bulldogs have two more Area 12 games to play – at Sand Rock on April 21 and at Pleasant Valley on April 22. A win either day gives Piedmont the host role for the Sectional (Area) tournament on May 1-2.
Calhoun County tournament
Rain and severe weather warnings cancelled Friday’s Calhoun County tournament games at Anniston’s Woodland Park. When play resumed Saturday, this year’s county tournament became single elimination rather than double elimination.
As the No. 3 seed, Piedmont received a bye in Thursday’s opening round of five games. In their first game Saturday, the Bulldogs defeated No. 6 Jacksonville Christian 2-0 in the quarterfinal round.
The Bulldogs got both their runs in the fifth inning. Hanvey, a senior, stroked a singled to left field to open the inning.
Freshman Catie Hightower then slapped an infield single and Cook bunted for a hit, loading the bases. Brooke Dixon’s base hit scored Hanvey. Cain drove in Hightower with a sacrifice fly to left.
Cain was the winning pitcher, tossing a six-inning complete game.
She struck out seven, walked two and gave up only one hit.
Against No. 2 Saks in the semifinals, the Bulldogs managed only one hit – a fifth inning ground rule double by Stewart – and fell 7-0. Givens went the distance. She struck out three and walked two.
Cook and Stewart were all-tournament selections for Piedmont.
Piedmont Spring Break Classic
The Bulldogs returned to Anniston and Woodland Park yesterday for pool play in Piedmont’s third annual spring break tournament. The varsity field includes 15 teams and a separate junior high tournament has attracted six entrants. Today’s varsity games are scheduled to begin at 3 p.m. the championship game is set for 9 p.m.
