Dixie season over: Belles fall in 4th round of Dixie World Series

By Staff
Clif Knight, Hartselle Enquirer
MARIANNA, Fla. – Hartselle's Alabama champion Belles (13-15) came up short in their bid for a national title Monday night as they lost 11-0 to Louisiana in the fourth round of the Dixie Softball World Series in Marianna, Fla.
The game was decided in the first inning when four Hartselle errors led to a 5-0 Louisiana advantage. The winners scored four more runs in the fifth thanks to three Hartselle errors, and closed out their scoring with a couple of runs in the sixth inning.
Hartselle had four hits to Louisiana's five and stranded nine base runners. However, they were never able to come up with a clutch hit with runners in scoring position.
Hartselle hitters were Olivia Golden, Ashley Bonner, Laken Hamilton and Allie Hill with a single each.
Meaghan Gray was the losing pitcher. She pitched the first three innings and allowed just one hit and two walks.
Abby McHugh worked two innings and gave up two hits. Bonner pitched the final two innings, allowing two hits.
Hartselle wound up in fifth place among 11 entries.
Alabama (Hartselle) 4, North Carolina 2
Hartselle bounced back from a loss to South Carolina to edge North Carolina 4-2 in a loser's bracket game late Sunday night.
The winners never trailed but they allowed single runs in the sixth and seven innings. The contest ended on a strikeout with the bases loaded in the bottom of the seventh inning. Hartselle scored a run in the first, two in the third and one in the fourth inning.
Six Hartselle players collected hits. Olivia Golden had a pair of triples, Leah Robinson and Ashley Bonner each doubled and Kaitlyn Hill, Laken Hamilton and Katie Gentle each singled.
Breanna Riley pitched the first four innings and was credited with the win. She allowed no runs on two hits. McHugh and Gray pitched in relief. Gray allowed one hit and walked two while McHugh allowed no hits.
South Carolina 7, Alabama (Hartselle) 0
South Carolina knocked Alabama (Hartselle) out of the winner's bracket by capitalizing on errors and using steady defense of its own in a Sunday morning game.
The winners scored an unearned run in the first inning and added five more in the fourth when Hartselle committed five errors. Hartselle failed to score in the fourth inning after putting runners on second an third bases with no outs and again in the fifth with a runner on third and one out,
Five Hartselle players had hits. They were Golden with a double and Romager, Hamilton, Robinson and McHugh each with a single.
McHugh was the losing pitcher. She allowed one run on two hits and struck out five batters in three inning of work. Meaghan Gray pitched two innings, allowing five runs on two hits while striking out two and walking one batter. Katie Gentle pitched the last two innings. She gave up a run on two hits and a walk.
Alabama (Hartselle)16, Marianna (Fla.) 0
Hartselle coasted to an easy victory over host Marianna, Fla. in an opening round game on Saturday after sending 19 players to the plate and scoring 15 runs in the fourth inning.
Seven Hartselle batters accounted for 12 hits. Ashley Bonner paced the attack with three singles. Gray had a double and single, Romager and Gentle each had a pair of singles, Breanna Riley added a double and Allie Hill and Chelsea Bennich each singled.
McHugh pitched the first three innings and was credited with the win. She gave up a hit, two walks and struck out six batters. Riley allowed a hit and a walk and struck out two in one inning. Bonner pitched the final inning, allowing a hit and a walk.