AISA SOFTBALL: Finals set but weather pushes them to Monday at Macon East
Edgewood’s Lily Stubbs had key hits at the plate but it wasn’t enough as the Wildcats were eliminated by Clarke Prep in the Class AA semis Friday at Lagoon Park. (Tim Gayle)
By TIM GAYLE
Clarke Prep played in its third one-run game in the 27th Alabama Independent School Association fast pitch state softball tournament at Lagoon Park Softball Complex on Friday, pulling out a thrilling 3-2 win over Edgewood in eight innings to advance to the state finals.
Clarke Prep (30-4) will face Bessemer Academy in a rematch of the Class AA winner’s bracket finals won by Bessemer 7-6 on Friday.
The two teams, along with two teams from Class A, will play for the state championship on Monday at Macon East Academy. It marks the first time in the history of the tournament it has moved locations because of the threat of inclement weather on Saturday, the scheduled date for the finals.
Clarke Prep answered Edgewood both times the Wildcats scored with a run in each of their next at-bats. Avey Rambo scored in the second inning after a two-out hit from Lily Stubbs and the Wildcats scored again in the fifth when Rambo drove in Haylee Coleman with the go-ahead run.
Clarke Prep answered in the third and again in the sixth, the second time on a hit by pitcher Kady Thomas.
Both Thomas and Stubbs held the opposing offense in check and international tiebreaker rules in the eighth inning put Lake Overstreet on second base, with Overstreet eventually scoring on a hit by Molli Blaylock.
Clarke Prep, making its 20th appearance in the state tournament, has reached the finals in four of the last five years. Bessemer, making its 16th appearance in the state tournament, has only reached the finals one previous time in school history, winning the AAA championship in 2021.
In Class A, Patrician Academy opened the tournament with a pair of impressive wins, fell to Abbeville Christian 6-2 in the winner’s bracket finals on Friday, then defeated Crenshaw Christian 12-5 to earn a rematch with Abbeville on Monday at 11 a.m.
Katelee Sikes went 4 for 4 with a triple and three singles, scoring three times to lead the Saints to the finals. Back-to-back doubles by Reagan Moye and Mallory Coody made it 6-0 in the second inning and Crenshaw managed just four hits off of Patrician pitcher Reese Cornett.
Patrician Academy will be making its sixth appearance in the finals, winning in 1999 and again in 2016. Abbeville Christian will be making its fourth appearance in the finals in the last five years, winning championships in 2021 and 2022.
AISA STATE SOFTBALL TOURNAMENT
Here are the results from the 27th annual Alabama Independent School Association fast pitch softball tournament at Lagoon Park Softball Complex. Due to threat of inclement weather on Saturday, the finals will be played on Monday at Macon East Academy.
CLASS A
Thursday’s Results
Game 1 -- Crenshaw Christian 12, Wilcox Academy 4
Game 2 -- Abbeville Christian 12, South Choctaw Academy 1
Game 3 -- Patrician Academy 12, Lakeside School 0
Game 4 -- Cornerstone Christian 3, Jackson Academy 2
Game 5 -- South Choctaw Academy 10, Wilcox Academy 0
Game 6 -- Jackson Academy 9, Lakeside School 3
Game 7 -- Abbeville Christian 10, Crenshaw Christian 0
Game 8 -- Patrician Academy 9, Cornerstone Christian 1
Friday’s Results
Game 9 -- Cornerstone Christian 11, South Choctaw Academy 9
Game 10 -- Crenshaw Christian 5, Jackson Academy 3
Game 11 -- Abbeville Christian 6, Patrician Academy 2
Game 12 -- Crenshaw Christian 13, Cornerstone Christian 9
Game 13 -- Patrician Academy 12, Crenshaw Christian 5
Monday’s Schedule
At Macon East Academy
Championship Game, Abbeville Christian vs. Patrician Academy, 11 a.m. (A second game, if necessary, will immediately follow.)
CLASS AA
Thursday’s Results
Game 1 -- Fort Dale Academy 12, Morgan Academy 0
Game 2 -- Bessemer Academy 5, Chambers Academy 4
Game 3 -- Edgewood Academy 10, Macon East Academy 2
Game 4 -- Clarke Prep School 3, Hooper Academy 2
Game 5 -- Morgan Academy 3, Chambers Academy 1
Game 6 -- Macon East Academy 5, Hooper Academy 4
Game 7 -- Bessemer Academy 15, Fort Dale Academy 1
Game 8 -- Clarke Prep School 5, Edgewood Academy 1
Friday’s Results
Game 9 -- Edgewood Academy 13, Morgan Academy 5
Game 10 -- Fort Dale Academy 11, Macon East Academy 3
Game 11 -- Bessemer Academy 7, Clarke Prep School 6
Game 12 -- Edgewood Academy 9, Fort Dale Academy 1
Game 13 -- Clarke Prep School 3, Edgewood Academy 2
Monday’s Schedule
At Macon East Academy
Championship Game, Bessemer Academy vs. Clarke Prep School, 2 p.m. (A second game, if necessary, will immediately follow.)