GALLERY: Local teams compete in Andalusia’s annual spring break tournament

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LEFT: Taya Newton at the plate for Andalusia during its opening game against Brantley. RIGHT: Andalusia’s Blakelynn Bass attempts a bunt. (PHOTOS BY ROBERT BLANKENSHIP)

LEFT: Addison Moseley pitches to a Slocomb batter. RIGHT: The Opp infield comes together at the circle to discuss strategy. (PHOTOS BY ROBERT BLANKENSHIP)

LEFT: Straughn pitcher McKena Bailey comes out of the circle to field a ground ball. RIGHT: Straughn’s Callie Ann McVay puts the ball in play in a victory over Elba. (PHOTOS BY ROBERT BLANKENSHIP)

Andalusia High School held its annual Spring Fling Softball Tournament at Johnson Park last weekend with eight teams participating, including county teams Andalusia, Opp, and Straughn.

Pool play games were held Friday and Saturday morning before teams were seeded 1-8 and placed in a single elimination bracket Saturday afternoon.

Wicksburg earned the tournament championship, defeating Opp in the final game, 4-0.

Opp 8, Slocomb 0
Opp opened the scoring in the top of the third with six runs. Jaidyn Ivey cleared the bases and scored Ryan Lanier, Rylie Kate Thrash, and Crislyn Birge. Bradleigh Lanier reached on an error as Ivey scored. Addison Moseley drove home Taylor Adams with an RBI double before Lilyann Coleman crossed home on a groundout from Gradyn Lunsford. The Lady Bobcats took an 8-0 lead in the top of the fourth with a two-run single by McKenzie Henderson.

Birge was 2-for-2 with two runs scored, while Moseley finished 1-for-2 with an RBI. Henderson was 1-for-1 with two RBIs. B. Lanier did not allow a run or a hit in two innings with three strikeouts for the win. Moseley gave up only two hits and struck out six in two innings of relief.

Andalusia 6, Brantley 0
Andalusia struck first when Taya Newton was hit by a pitch in the bottom of the first and scored the first run on a groundout by Sarah Katherine Reese. Newton extended the lead to 2-0 in the bottom of the third with a solo home run. Blakelynn Bass brought home Lacey Wells and Austin Seal with a single in the bottom of the fourth for the Lady Bulldogs. Newton scored on a wild pitch as Reese grounded out and plated Bass for the final tally.

Bass went 2-for-2 with a run scored and two RBIs, and Wells also finished 2-for-2 with a run scored. Newton was 1-for-1 with three runs scored and an RBI. Kailey Jackson allowed only two hits and struck out five in four innings for the win.

Straughn 11, Elba 7
Annlee Wise began a two-out rally in the top of the first with a double. Shelby Pettus followed suit for an RBI double and a 1-0 lead. Elba responded with five runs in the bottom half for a 5-1 lead. Straughn drew even with four runs in the top of the second. Katelyn Ranta brought home Callie Ann McVay before Adelaide Dunn laid down a bunt and drove in Logan Parrish. Ranta stole home as Wise cashed in Dunn on a groundout. The Lady Tigers scored six times in the top of the third and held off Elba.

Pettus finished 3-for- 3 with two runs scored, while Jaycee Norton and Dunn were each 2-for-3. McKena Bailey earned the win and allowed seven runs (two earned) on 10 hits with three strikeouts in three innings.

Opp 8, Brantley 1
After Brantley grabbed an early 1-0 lead, Jaidyn Ivey walked and scored the tying run on a wild pitch in the bottom of the first. Taylor Adams and Addison Moseley scored on a two-out error before Ryan Lanier plated Autumn Green and Madie Wilson with a two-run double and gave Opp a 5-1 lead. Adams delivered an RBI triple and drove home Ivey in the bottom of the second. Moseley grounded out and scored Adams, while Wilson knocked an RBI double and plated Green with the final run for the Lady Bobcats.

Adams, Green, and R. Lanier all finished 1-for- 1, and Wilson was 1-for-2. Moseley allowed one unearned run on no hits and struck out six in three innings for the win.

Andalusia 4, Slocomb 0
Lacey Wells and Taya Newton scored on a wild pitch in the bottom of the third as Andalusia took a 2-0 lead. Sarah Katherine Reese followed with a single as Kailey Jackson hit a two-run homer and lifted the Lady Bulldogs to a 4-0 lead.

Reese finished 2-for-2, while Newton, Jackson, and Wells each went 1-for- 2. Jackson was strong in the circle with five innings pitched and gave up just one hit with nine strikeouts for the win.

Straughn 2, Kinston 1
Kinston started the scoring when Madison Jones reached on an error in the bottom of the third and scored on a sacrifice fly by Camdyn Norris. Annlee Wise and Sophie Pettus opened the top of the fourth with back-to-back singles. Adalyn Till came through with a clutch two-run single as Straughn took a 2-1 lead.

Adelaide Dunn, Wise, Pettus, Till, and Katelyn Ranta were all 1-for-2 for the Lady Tigers. Jaycee Norton was sharp in the circle and earned the win with one unearned run on three hits allowed and four strikeouts.

Opp 5, Andalusia 0
Taylor Adams put Opp on the board with a two-out RBI single in the top of the first and scored Jaidyn Ivey. Rylie Kate Thrash reached on a defensive miscue in the top of the second before Crislyn Birge brought Ryan Lanier to the plate on a groundout. Ivey scored the fourth run for the Lady Bobcats in the top of the fourth on an error. Addison Moseley pushed the lead to 5-0 with an RBI single as McKenzie Henderson scored.

Adams, Moseley, and Wilson each finished 1-for-2. Lacey Wells went 1-for-1 for Andalusia. Moseley allowed only one hit and struck out four in four scoreless innings for the win. Jackson took the loss and gave up five unearned runs on three hits with five strikeouts in four innings.

Straughn 0, Wicksburg 9
Wicksburg scored in each inning as Straughn fell in the final pool play game. Jaycee Norton allowed seven runs (five earned) on six hits with five strikeouts in four innings.

Straughn 3, Kinston 4
Brynne Kelley had an RBI single and scored Lilli Sumblin as Kinston took a 1-0 lead in the top of the first. Maddie Williamson began the top of the third with a double and came home when Allyx Williamson hit an RBI single. Camdyn Norris and Kelley earned back-to-back two-out RBI singles for a 4-0 lead. McKena Bailey, Adelaide Dunn, and Jaycee Norton all picked up singles and loaded the bases with two outs. Annlee Wise brought Bailey and Dunn to the plate with a two-run single. Sophie Pettus followed with an RBI single to score Norton, but Straughn came up just short.

Bailey was 1-for-1 with a run scored, while Wise and Pettus were both 1-for-2. Dunn and Norton each finished 1-for-3 with a run scored. Bailey tossed 2 2/3 innings and gave up four runs on seven hits. Norton allowed two hits in 2 1/3 scoreless innings of relief.

Andalusia 6, Slocomb 4
Andalusia took a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the second when Kaylee Wood scored Kailey Jackson and Jessa Ann Dubose on a two-run single. Lacey Wells and Wood each scored on a passed ball and upped the lead to 4-0. Molly McGowan reached on an error as Slocomb cut the deficit to 4-1 in the top of the third. The Lady Red Tops rallied with two outs in the top of the fourth and tied the score at 4-4. Dubose brought home Valexey Romero and Sarah Katherine Reese as the Lady Bulldogs advanced to the tournament semi-finals with a 6-4 win.

Reese and Dubose each finished 2-for-3. Wood and Seal both went 1-for-2. Jackson threw 3 2/3 scoreless innings and allowed just two hits with three strikeouts for the win. Taya Newton gave up four unearned runs on two hits and also struck out three in the final 1 1/3 innings.

Opp 10, Elba 2
Jaidyn Ivey and Taylor Adams had back-to-back RBI singles in the bottom of the first as Opp grabbed a 4-0 lead. Ivey knocked a one-out triple in the bottom of the second and scored on a wild pitch. Addison Moseley cashed in McKenzie Henderson with an RBI single. Autumn Green launched a two-run homer for an 8-1 lead. Henderson scored the ninth run on an error. Ivey took the margin to 10-2 with an RBI single and plated Rylie Kate Thrash in the bottom of the third as the Lady Bobcats moved on to the semi-finals.

Ivey led the batting charge at 3-for-3 with two runs scored and two RBIs. Green finished 1-for- 1 with two runs scored and two RBIs. Adams, Moseley, and Madie Wilson each went 1-for- 2. Gradyn Lunsford picked up the win and allowed two runs (one earned) on four hits with three strikeouts in four innings.

Opp 2, Andalusia 1
Two county rivals met once again, but this time, there was a spot in the championship game on the line. Opp took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the first when Autumn Green singled and scored Jaidyn Ivey. Taya Newton ripped a two-out RBI triple in the top of the second as Austin Seal drew Andalusia even at 1-1. Gradyn Lunsford delivered an RBI single in the bottom of the third and brought home Taylor Adams for a 2-1 lead.

Lunsford and Addison Moseley both finished 1-for-1. Birge and Ivey were each 1-for-3. Moseley notched the win and gave up one unearned run on four hits with nine strikeouts in five innings. Jackson was 2-for- 3 and suffered the loss despite two runs on six hits allowed with four strikeouts. Newton and Dubose both finished 1-for- 3.

Opp 0, Wicksburg 4
Opp was unable to produce a hit and came up short to Wicksburg in the championship game. Addison Moseley took the loss with four runs (two earned) on eight hits and four strikeouts in 3 2/3 innings.

Following the tournament, Andalusia’s record stood at 16-6, Opp moved to 16-8, and Straughn was 9-10. The Lady Bobcats and Lady Tigers will face area foes on Tuesday, April 1, 4:30 p.m., with Opp traveling to New Brockton and Straughn hosting Pike County. The Lady Bulldogs travel to Straughn on Thursday, April 3, at 4:30 p.m.