Mustangs, Rebels both advance
Published 11:03 pm Tuesday, May 5, 2009
The difference between Isabella’s and Thorsby’s softball teams was noticeable Tuesday night, but their destination is the same.
The Mustangs were fresh and excited after playing only 10 innings while winning the Class 2A, Area 6 tournament.
The Rebels were exhausted and disappointed after playing four consecutive games only to finish in second place.
But both squads qualified for the South-Central Regional Tournament on Friday at Montgomery’s Lagoon Park.
“I’m proud of our girls,” Isabella coach Mike Ratliff said. “They played hard.
“We struggled a little bit in the first game, but our hitting was better today than it has been at times this season.”
Thorsby handed Reeltown two dramatic losses, 11-9 and 9-8, with a 12-2 loss to tournament host Isabella sandwiched in the middle.
The Rebels trailed 7-5 going into the bottom of the sixth inning of the second game against Reeltown, an elimination game, but Kelly Nord laced a two-run double to left-center field to give Thorsby a lead it wouldn’t relinquish.
Lindsay Pease pitched two innings of relief to earn the win.
But Thorsby didn’t have much left in the tank for the championship game.
Raelynn Liveoak doubled to lead off the game and spark and three-run rally, and Isabella won, 13-2.
Krysta Tyler was the winning pitcher in the first Isabella-Thorsby matchup, and Liveoak earned the win in the second.
The all-tournament team was: Samantha Culp, Liveoak, Machelle Maulding and Tyler for Isabella; Heather Day, Ashlin Hilyer and Kayla Scott for Thorsby; and Kayla Hatchett and Emily Pinkston for Reeltown.