Softball Reaches Third State Tournament in Last Four Years

GULF SHORES, Ala. -- Wetumpka Softball earned it's third bid to the AHSAA 6A Softball State Tournament after going undefeated in the South Regional, winning three games and earning the first qualifer spot for state.

The Indians conquest began on Monday, May 11 at 10:45 am that saw them face off against the Theodore Bobcats. Sophie Arant threw a perfect game in the three inning contest, striking out 8 batters and 6 consecutive batters to end the game in the Indians 15-0 win. The bats for the Indians got off to a hot start, scoring five in the bottom of the first before tacking on another nine in the bottom of the second, giving them a 14-0 advantage heading into the third inning. An RBI single from Madison Calloway scored Autymn Hollon, putting the run rule into effect in the bottom of the third. Lalah Culpepper led the charge for the Indians, tallying five RBI's on a 2-for-3 showing that included two home runs. Senior Alyssa Brown had a perfect 3-for-3 showing with two doubles and an RBI. Arant drew a walk and recorded a triple, scoring all three times she reached base in a 2-for-2 game. 

Later in the afternoon, the Black & Gold squared off against the Spanish Fort Toros. Culpepper pitched the complete 7 inning game and recieved credit for the 7-3 win over the Toros. After both teams scored early, it was a 1-1 game heading into the bottom of the third. The Indians capitalized on fielding errors by the Toros, scoring 4 runs to take a 5-1 lead. The Indians tacked on two more in the bottom of the fourth after Spanish Fort scored two of their own. Lexi Smith scored twice in a 2-for-3 afternoon. Culpepper, Arant, and Hollon all recorded two hits in the game.

Storms waged on throughout Monday night and into the early hours of Tuesday morning, which delayed the start time for game 3 from 10:45 am until 2:00 pm. Wetumpka faced off against familiar playoff foe Saraland, with the winner earning the first qualifer spot to the state tournament.

Saraland jumped out to an early lead after scoring one in the top of the second inning, and continued to build on it, taking a 4 run lead into the bottom of the fifth inning. The offense for the black & gold flipped a switch after back-to-back singles from Hollon and Brown to lead off the bottom of the fifth. Madison Calloway was hit by a pitch, which loaded the bases for Kyla Richardson. Richardson hit a scorching ground ball for a base hit, scoring Hollon and keeping the bases loaded for the top of the order. Smith recorded another single for the Indians, cutting the deficit to two as Culpepper came up to the plate with the bases loaded and nobody out. Culpepper maximized the opportunity, crushing a bases-clearing triple to right field that gave Wetumpka a 5-4 lead, their first of the game. Taylor Carlisle scored Culpepper on a sacrifice fly.

The Spartans struck back in the top of the sixth, and the Indians lead was cut to one. In the top of the seventh, the Indians still carried a one run advantage, but back to back singles from the Spartans to lead off the inning quickly worried Wetumpka. Culpepper, still on the rubber, forced three outs to strand the tying and go ahead runs, and earning the Indians their bid to the state tournament.

Softball is back in action on Monday at Choccolocco Park in Oxford, Ala. at 9:00 AM as they square off against Gardendale with hopes of brining home their third state championship in program history.