By Brandon Sumrall | Special to the Advertiser
Billingsley softball played the role of giant killers on Tuesday afternoon, as the Bears played up three classifications from their usual 2A and knocked off the Class 5A Bulldogs of Marbury 4-0.

Pitching and defense was the tempo of the game early, as base runners were at a premium through the early innings, as neither team managed to put a runner aboard through the first two innings.

Madison Gibbons finally broke the trend and reached base after being hit by a pitch.

Ansley Ogletree followed with the game’s first hit, but a ground ball to short brought the scoring threat to a end.

The Bears (5-3 overall; 1-0 region) answered by getting their bats going in the home half of the second and put a runner aboard the same way the Bulldogs (10-8 overall; 1-0 region) did when Hollann Horton reached base after being hit by a pitch. Spencer Simpson followed and reached on a fielder’s choice and would later come around to score on an infield single by Abby Tindol.

Another Billingsley run came home on a wild pitch that allowed Madison Motley to cross home plate and gave the Bears a 2-0 lead.

The top of the fourth started with a leadoff single by Reagan Bayer, but three consecutive strikeouts by Billingsley pitcher Katlyn Childress brought the half to a close.

With the Bears going in order through the home half of the inning, the game moved to the fifth with Billingsley leading by two.

The fifth and top of the sixth came and went with no change on the scoreboard and took the game to the bottom half of the sixth, where Billingsley tacked on two more runs.

Tindol got it started with a leadoff single that was followed by a single by Casey Headley.

Another single by Childress scored Tindol and a single up the middle by Trinity Price scored Childress to give Billingsley a 4-0 lead.

Down to their final three outs, a strikeout by Childress, a ground bal, and a fly ball to Price brought the game to a close and gave the Bears a big win over a higher classified opponent.

Childress pitched a complete game for the Bears, while allowing only four hits, one walk and 13 strikeouts, while Tindol and Price each went 2-for-3 at the plate with two singles and a RBI.