Teams win titles, head to world series

By By Todd Thompson, Hartselle Enquirer
SCOTTSBORO - One by one, three Hartselle Dixie softball teams wrapped up trips to the 2009 World Series with state championships Monday night.
Hartselle will be represented at the World Series Aug. 1-6 at Sumter, S.C. by the local Darlings, Angels and Ponytails teams after all three celebrated championships in Scottsboro.
Hartselle teams went a combined 15-1 in the state tournaments.
The Hartselle Darlings, the defending World Series champions, beat Butler 20-5 in the championship to earn a berth in the tournament for the second straight year.
Hartselle’s Angels won five straight games and beat East Montgomery 7-5 Monday to secure a spot in South Carolina.
The Angels, who outscored opponents 38-10 in the state tournament, will face North Carolina Saturday, Aug. 1 at Patriot Park Sportsflex.
Hartselle beat East Montgomery 11-0 in the third round of the Angels’ tournament and followed with a hard-fought 4-2 win over Dothan to reach the championship.
After East Montgomery reached the finals from the loser’s bracket, Hartselle claimed the championship with a 7-5 win in the final.
Hartselle’s Ponytails also claimed a state championship, beating McCalla in a deciding game to advance to South Carolina.
The Hartselle Ponytails won their first three games of the state tournament by a combined score of 36-0 before scratching out a 4-3 victory over Montgomery American to reach the finals.
McCalla handed the Hartselle Ponytails their first loss of the tournament 4-3 to force a deciding game.
Hartselle overcame the earlier loss to claim a 6-2 win to become the third city team to reach the world series.
The Ponytails, who lost in the semifinals of the world series last year, open against Virginia.