Mary Jane Wooley rounds third in the Tiger’s game vs. Decatur. | Caleb Suggs

Caleb Suggs

Hartselle Enquirer

With postseason play right around the corner, Hartselle head softball coach Christy Ferguson’s message to her team was simple. “If you want to go anywhere in the postseason, you need to get it in gear.” The Tigers have had an up and down season so far as they have played tough in some games and have really struggled in others especially on the offensive side. This was apparent in their back-to-back losses against Cullman and James Clemons. The Tigers were able to rebound a bit in the Bob Jones tournament and were hoping to establish themselves even better against Austin and Decatur as they prepare for the Morgan County tournament later in the week.

Hartselle traveled to Austin for the first game with Hope Cain getting the start on the mound.

Defense was the name of the game for the first five innings as neither team could get a run across.

Austin would turn the heat up in the sixth inning as they scored 4 runs and put the Tigers in a tough bind heading into the last inning. However, the Tigers were not going to go down without a fight.

Hope Cain would get things started by hitting a single to drive in Taylor Spangler. Bailey Powell would score on an error and Cain would get across thanks to a single from Kennadi Hogan as the Tigers cut the lead to 4-3. Hartselle would tie the game and send it into extra innings when Hogan reached on an error.

Hogan would give Hartselle the lead in the bottom of the eighth when she singled to drive in Powell. Austin would not be able to comeback and Hartselle would go on to win the game 5-4. Cain got the win as she pitched 22 first pitch strikes and 7 strikeouts while allowing 5 hits. Hogan led the team in hits and RBIs with 2 each.

In the second game, Hartselle would travel to take on the Decatur Red Raiders. Gracie Poe got the start at pitcher.

Hartselle would take an early lead in the second inning when Poe singled to left field to allow Mary Jane Wooley to score. The Tigers would then explode in the third inning.

A double by Kalli Cartee would drive in Taylor Spangler to start the inning. Cain would back that up with a double of her own to drive in Cartee and Lindsey Robinson. Powell would finish the inning with a 3 run homerun to give Hartselle the 7-0 lead.

Meanwhile, Gracie Poe was pitching a great game on defense. Poe pitched a complete no hitter which included 4 strikeouts. Hartselle would cruise to an 11-0 win in five innings.

After the game, coach Ferguson was pleased with the direction her team is trending after an up and down beginning of the season. “I believe we’ve become more focused” Ferguson said “I think that focus came from the fact that they got their butts chewed out and that they realized in order to be successful we were going to have to make adjustments on offense.” Ferguson would continue. “Our whole problem at the beginning of the season was not being able to hit” Ferguson said “and I think they now have realized that if we are going to go anywhere in the postseason we will have to be able to hit the ball consistently one through nine.”