The Jemison softball team made it a trifecta, by winning its third straight Panther Classic on April 8.

“We had good weather and it was good competition,” Jemison head coach Nathan Hayes said. “That’s what you always want from a tournament.”

It was a seamless journey for the Panthers much of the way, as they went undefeated and won all four teams that they faced by an average of 10.5 runs per game.

“We haven’t lost at home yet this year, and I think that’s something in the back of their mind that they take pride in,” Hayes said.

The Panthers faced off against Chilton County in the championship, in a rematch of the county tournament final.

The result remained much of the same, as Jemison cruised past the Tigers 12-2 for another tournament crown.

Kennise Bolton started the finale and threw four strikeouts over six innings. Hannah-Rose Corbin hit two home runs during the tournament, including one against CCHS.

“Our pitching always gives us a chance and we haven’t made a lot of mistakes on defense,” Hayes said.

Jemison opened up with a 10-2 victory over Montevallo, where Bolton threw a no-hitter and helped her own cause by going 2-for-2 at the plate with a pair of RBIs.

That performance was followed by a tightly contested battle against Briarwood Christian, which required extra time before an 8-5 Jemison victory was the end result.

However, the Panthers bounced back in a big way with a resounding 21-0 win over Maplesville that saw the offense come alive with three homers, two by senior Jessica Paschal, who also added a triple. Paschal and Corbin combined for eight RBIs in the game.

According to Hayes, several Jemison players, such as Kelsey Lowery and Paschal regained confidence at the plate over the tournament and began settle back into a groove.

“It’s always good to have some games coming off of spring break to keep the momentum going,” Hayes said. “Playing a lot of games really helps them to get refocused.”