Shocked: Hartselle's season ends in sub-state

By Staff
Justin Schuver, Hartselle Enquirer
SCOTTSBORO – A season filled with lofty expectations came to an unexpected end Saturday as Hartselle was swept out of the second sub-state round of the Class 5A playoffs.
Ranked No. 1 in the final rankings of the regular season, the Lady Tigers saw their dreams of a state championship come to an end as the Lady Wildcats knocked off Hartselle 1-0 in the first game and completed the sweep with a 7-2 win.
"I hate it for our seniors especially," Hartselle coach Shane Alexander said. "I hate it for those seven seniors who had to have their careers end this way. This one hurts more than any loss I've ever been associated with. I'm in shock.
"It doesn't take away from the season these girls had; they set all kinds of records, won more games than any team in school history – it was still a great year. I just hate that it ended this way."
Scottsboro seemed to relish its role as the underdog in the series, opening the morning with a light-hearted dance that involved the fans and coaches as well. The Lady Wildcats did the same dance at the end of the series, as Scottsboro advanced to the state tournament for the first time in the school's history.
"We just wanted to keep the pressure off our girls," Scottsboro coach Kim Wilson said. "During the week, we didn't even talk up the fact we were facing the No. 1 team. On Friday, we had a team water gun fight – we just wanted the girls to stay relaxed."
Scottsboro freshman pitcher Hilary Mavromat pitched every inning in the sweep, limiting Hartselle to five hits in the series and not allowing a run until the seventh inning of Game 2. Her defense played well behind her, as Scottsboro committed just one error Saturday, compared to seven errors by Hartselle – including six in Game 2.
"She is a very good pitcher," Alexander said of Mavromat. "But we didn't do a good job of helping our pitchers out by making those errors. We haven't made mistakes like that all season."
In Game 1, Hartselle senior starter Breanna Segars battled pitch-for-pitch with Mavromat. Segars allowed just three hits and retired the last 14 batters she faced. She allowed one unearned run, which came in the second inning and proved to be all Scottsboro would need.
Chasity McCrary led off the inning with a bunt single and advanced to third on a throwing error that also allowed Shawna Necklaus to reach second. McCrary eventually scored on a passed ball, but Segars limited the damage by stranding Necklaus at third base.
Hartselle had a great chance to score in the top of the fourth inning after Kristy Pevahouse led off with a triple and Kayla Orr followed with an infield single to put runners on the corners with nobody out. But Mavromat worked out of the jam, inducing a strikeout, weak pop-up and groundout to stifle the Hartselle threat.
"Hilary's specialty seems to be when a runner gets on third base," Wilson said. "It's almost like she pitches at an even higher level when it gets tough."
The Lady Tigers also had runners on first and second with one out in the top of the sixth inning, but failed to score.
"We had our opportunities," Alexander said. "I've said it often, if we can score first, it seems to relax us and get us going. We just weren't able to break through and get that first run."
In Game 2, the Lady Wildcats took advantage of Hartselle's defensive miscues, scoring seven runs off senior starter Mary Curtis – just one of which was earned. Curtis struck out eight and allowed nine hits.
The Lady Tigers finally broke through on the scoreboard with two outs in the bottom of the seventh inning. Haley Miller singled and Kayla Byford followed with a walk. Pevahouse followed with a triple to score both Miller and Shauna Clemons, pinch running for Byford. Pevahouse finished the series 3-for-6, including two triples.
Hartselle's season ended at 53-16. Scottsboro, which had a winless season in 2005, improved to 32-18 and advanced to the state tournament in Montgomery.