By Jeff Devine, Dale County Chronicle
The Ariton High School Lady Cats softball team showcased its offensive firepower and pitching depth during the recent marathon at the South Regional Softball Tournament, earning victories over Samson and Pike Liberal Arts while battling through two close losses against G.W. Long and Blacksher.
Ariton opened the tournament with a commanding 12-2 victory over Samson on Wednesday behind a standout performance from AC Free. Free drove in four runs and collected three hits, delivering RBI singles in the second, fourth, and fifth innings.
The Lady Cats broke the game open in the second inning. An error brought home the first run before Beth Dixon followed with a two-run single. Free later added another RBI hit as Ariton quickly seized control.
Ariton finished with 11 hits while also creating pressure on the bases with five stolen bases. Ainsley Swanson added two hits, while Macileigh Bragg and Lizzie Woodfaulk each recorded multiple steals.
Lizzy Faircloth earned the win in the circle after allowing just one earned run over 4.1 innings while striking out seven batters without issuing a walk. Free also appeared in relief to help secure the victory.
The Lady Cats followed with a 3-1 win over Pike Liberal Arts in a tightly contested pitcher’s duel later Wednesday.
Pike Liberal Arts struck first in the opening inning when Sarah Strickland delivered an RBI single, but Ariton answered immediately in the bottom half of the inning. Lizzy Faircloth and Swanson each drove in runs with singles as the Lady Cats moved ahead 2-1.
Ariton added another run in the third inning after a Pike Liberal Arts error extended the lead to 3-1.
Beth Dixon earned the win after pitching five innings and allowing one run on six hits while striking out two batters. Free closed the game with two shutout innings in relief, striking out two and allowing no hits.
Dixon and Free each finished with two hits for Ariton, while the Lady Cats played error-free defense throughout the contest.
Ariton nearly picked up another win Thursday before falling 4-3 in extra innings to G.W. Long despite out-hitting the Rebels 12-8.
The Lady Cats grabbed an early lead in the third inning when Madolyn Hudson singled home a run. G.W. Long answered in the fifth inning with RBI plays from Kaylie Joseph and Kennedy Robertson to tie the game.
The contest remained even until the eighth inning when the Rebels connected on a solo home run to secure the victory.
Free paced Ariton offensively with three hits, while Hudson and Free each recorded RBIs. Beth Dixon also added a pair of hits. The Lady Cats showed patience at the plate throughout the contest, drawing six walks.
Free took the loss despite a strong relief outing in which she struck out nine batters over 4.2 innings while allowing three hits and two earned runs.
Ariton closed the tournament with a dramatic 12-11 loss to Blacksher in a back-and-forth contest decided in the final inning.
The Lady Cats jumped out to an early lead after Free delivered an RBI single in the first inning. Ariton expanded the advantage to 5-1 in the second inning when Madolyn Hudson singled to bring home another run.
Ariton continued to add runs in the third inning before Blacksher mounted a comeback with five runs in the fourth inning and eventually tied the game at 9-9 in the fifth.
The Lady Cats regained the lead at the top of the seventh inning when Molly Snell delivered a two-run single to put Ariton ahead 11-9. Blacksher answered in the bottom half of the inning, however, using a two-run double from Kadence Dailey and a walk-off RBI single from Lanie Hall to escape with the win.
Ariton totaled 14 hits in the high-scoring game. Hudson and Free each collected three hits, while Hudson and Snell drove in three runs apiece. Lizzy Faircloth added two hits and also drew two walks alongside Swanson.
Lady Cats head coach Whitehurst said the team continued to compete despite the narrow losses.
“Our girls played hard and were ahead the whole game in both of the last games and lost by 1 run in both games,” Whitehurst said.
In a statement reflecting on the season, Ariton School praised the Lady Cats for their determination and effort throughout the year.
“This season didn’t end the way we hoped, but that doesn’t take away from everything this team accomplished,” the statement read.
“Proud of our players for their hard work, fight, and heart all season long. And thankful for the families, students, and fans who supported the Lady Cats every step of the way.”
Despite the two losses, the Lady Cats continued to display offensive consistency throughout the four-game stretch, producing 40 total hits across the contests and bringing their season to a close on a strong note.
