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By Carey Reeder | Staff Writer

Any high school softball area game is important when it comes to postseason positioning and aspirations. However, when an area game falls against an in-county rival, the intensity sky rockets.

Thorsby and Isabella high schools faced each other on March 20 in an AHSAA Class 2A Area 6 game that saw the Rebels handle the Mustangs 13-3 in five innings. Brooklyn Reeser was 3-for-4 and a home run short of the cycle in the leadoff spot for Thorsby to lead the way at the plate. Makinley Turner and Braelyn Whitfield each had two hits, and Turner had three RBIs.

“They played very well,” Thorsby coach Holly Matson said. “We finally came out this season and played Thorsby softball … and when we do that and we have high momentum … We always see better results.”

Isabella jumped out to a quick 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning. Thorsby then posted five runs in their first time up to bat to lead 5-2 after the first inning. From there, the Rebels never looked back.

“It just comes down to our bats,” Isabella coach Kacie Adams said. “Up until tonight, our bats were really hot, and they were making hits when we needed to be, and tonight they just fell apart. We had a few early in the game, and that was it.”

Morgan Short was 2-for-2 at the plate with all three RBIs for the Mustangs. Just three other batters in the Isabella lineup recorded a hit.

Thorsby led 6-3 after Isabella scored a run in the third inning, and they stretched it out with three more runs in the bottom half of the third to make it 9-3.

Turner got the start in the circle for Thorsby and earned her third consecutive win, all coming over area opponents. Turner threw five innings of five-hit softball and gave up three runs (one earned) and struck out 10 Isabella hitters.

Singles by Brinley Giambrone and Whitfield, and some errors by Isabella in the bottom of the fifth inning, plated four runs for Thorsby in the frame to put the game away early.

“Today, we just did well overall,” Matson said. “Everything came together — our bats were rolling, we ran the bases well, very limited errors, and the dugout had high energy. I could not have asked for a better day, it was great.”

Isabella entered the game with a perfect 3-0 area record, including a 9-5 win over Thorsby on March 13. The Rebels moved to 3-1 in Area 6, a tie with Isabella atop the standings.

Thorsby travels to Maplesville High School on March 23 at 4 p.m. in their next game, and Isabella hosts Verbena High School on March 21 at 6:30 p.m.