By Erik Harris
TUSCALOOSA—In the Class 7A bracket of the North-Central Regional softball tournament, No. 3 Hewitt-Trussville took care of its business early.
The Huskies (35-9) were in and out with a 3-1 win over seventh-ranked Thompson followed by a 16-1 blowout of No. 2 Spain Park to advance on to the state finals in Montgomery.
The Hewitt-Trussville softball team at Sokol Park in Tuscaloosa.
submitted photo
“I’m excited, but I’m thrilled for them,” said Hewitt-Trussville head coach Karen Johns. “I’m thrilled for this senior class.”
Hewitt-Trussville 3, Thompson 1
In the opener, Hewitt-Trussville let its defense do the talking. Baliley Murphey toed the rubber for the Area 12 runner-up. Behind her work, the Husky defense allowed only one run to pass.
“Bailey pitched very well and Callie (Shields) came in and got the save, and it was just a really good day for our team,” said Johns.
Hewitt-Trussville catcher Taylor Beshears came through with an RBI in the fifth to give her team a 3-0 lead. The Warriors came back to send one across in the sixth, but that was the only offense they could muster.
That win paired the Huskies with the team they followed in the Area 12 standings—No. 2 Spain Park—in the winners bracket. The winner was guaranteed a spot in Montgomery.
Hewitt-Trussville 16, Spain Park 1
Hewitt-Trussville wasted no time in making sure that spot was theirs. The Huskies exploded for 12 runs in the home-half of the first inning, claiming a 12-0 lead early.
“We just knew that we were having quality at-bats and if we could really come in and solidify our pitching, we knew we could give them a good game,” said Johns. “They are a phenomenal team.”
Freshman Tate Mosely put a stop to the contest in the third frame. She slammed an RBI triple off the left-center field wall to give Hewitt-Trussville a 15-run advantage, automatically ending the game.
“I was just being aggressive in the count and it was an inside pitch that I just squared around on it and drove it,” said Mosely. “That’s what I wanted to do, but I wasn’t going to make it too pressured.”
Mosely came through with the decisive contact in the end, but she was far from lonely on the stat sheet. The Huskies went 11-for-16 at the plate with runners in scoring position. They also recorded 16 hits and 15 RBIs in three plate appearances.
Bailey Murphey went 2-for-2 with five RBIs, all of which came in the opening frame. Mosely logged a 3-for-4 night with the game-ending RBI. Maddie Dorsett hit a perfect 3-for-3 with a pair of RBIs.
Hewitt-Trussville’s Taylor Beshears at Sokol Park in Tuscaloosa.
photo by Erik Harris
Taylor Beshears drove a run in with a 2-for-3 performance. Ashley Cash pitched in with a 2-for-2 outing with two RBIs.
Hewitt-Trussville ran two Jaguar pitchers out of the circle in the lengthy first inning. It took a group effort from starter Mary Kathryn Bonamy, Mallory McCarty and Casey Kizer to record three outs in the opening frame.
The Huskies are now bound for the state finals at Montgomery’s Lagoon Park starting next Wednesday.
As Mosely rounded first with her eyes glued to the ball she just punished into left-center field, all she could think about was her team reaching the state finals for the first time in school history.
