By Jeff Devine, Dale County Chronicle
SKIPPERVILLE—The Ariton Lady Cats used a dominant sixth-inning surge to pull away for an 11-3 win over the G.W. Long Lady Rebels in Ariton’s second game of the night in their area series on Monday, securing a spot in the area championship game scheduled for Tuesday, May 5.
Ariton’s offense came alive when it mattered most, breaking open a close contest with six runs in the top of the sixth inning to seal the victory.
Powerhouse star Lizzy Faircloth led the charge at the plate, turning in a standout performance with three hits in five at-bats. She delivered singles in the first, third, and sixth innings, including a two-run hit during Ariton’s decisive rally.
The Lady Cats got on the board early in the first inning, capitalizing on a defensive miscue to plate the game’s first run. Long responded in the bottom of the second, briefly taking the lead after a run-scoring double and an Ariton error made it 2-1.
Ariton answered quickly in the third inning to regain control. Madolyn Hudson doubled to drive in a run, Faircloth followed with an RBI single, and Molly Snell added another RBI double to put the Lady Cats back in front.
The lead grew in the fourth when Lizzie Woodfaulk launched a solo home run to center field, extending Ariton’s advantage and shifting momentum firmly in their favor.
The game remained competitive until the sixth inning, when Ariton broke it open. Faircloth’s two-run single highlighted the rally, while Brynlee Peters delivered a bases-clearing double that brought in three more runs. Beth Dixon also contributed with an RBI after being hit by a pitch, capping the six-run frame.
Dixon was equally impressive in the circle, earning the complete-game victory. The right-hander allowed just three hits and three runs, two earned, over seven innings while striking out eight and walking three.
At the plate, Ariton finished with 13 hits. Faircloth and Dixon each recorded three hits, while Snell and Woodfaulk added multiple-hit performances in a balanced offensive effort.
Long was led by Kaylie Foster, who collected two hits, while Kaylie Joseph and Ansley Watson each drove in a run in the loss. The Lady Rebels had a decent night despite losing to Ariton. Long came off a strong showing earlier in the afternoon, having defeated the Abbeville Yellowjackets by an incredible score of 20-0. Perhaps they ran a bit out of steam by the time they took the field against Ariton.
With Ariton’s second victory on Monday, the Lady Cats now advance to the area championship, where they will look to continue their postseason momentum when they take the field Tuesday, May 5. Since Houston County defeated Abbeville 16-0, and with Abbeville eliminated, the Long Lady Rebels will face off against the Houston County Lady Lions on Tuesday at 3:30.
The winner of that game will then face off against Ariton for the Area Championship at 5:00. If Ariton wins, they will take home the Area Championship; however, if the Lady Cats happen to lose that matchup, with it being a potential first loss, they will then play game 7 against the winner of game 6 for the final Area Championship title.
