Lady Warriors take district championship

Rick Patrick
ECB Publishing, Inc.

When the clay settled on Cowgirl Field at Madison County High a, the hosts of the Class 1A District Five Softball Tournament, the Aucilla Christian Academy (ACA) Lady Warriors emerged as the district champs. With the championship, the Lady Warriors punched their ticket to move on to the regional tournament.
In the district semi-final game, the Lady Warriors faced the Red Flashes of Hilliard High School on Tuesday, April 29. The Lady Warriors took an early lead and had a four-run advantage going into the bottom of the third inning. The Flashes were able to cut that lead in half during the third inning and the score was 4-2, heading into the fourth inning. The contest remained scoreless until the top of the seventh inning when the Lady Warriors added one more insurance run. That run was not needed as the Lady Warriors defeated the Flashes, 5-2, to earn a spot in the district championship game to play the Cowgirls of Madison County High School.
The Lady Warriors chalked up 10 hits during the contest, led by Harli Ray, who went two-for-two at the plate, with one run batted in (RBI). Bradynn Johnson had two hits in her three at-bats, with one RBI. Riley Rutledge, Megan Wellman, Marie Kelly and Macy Morgan also had hits for the Lady Warriors.
Emma Vickers was impressive in the pitcher’s circle for the Lady Warriors, going the distance and giving up four hits, no earned runs and no walks while striking out 13 batters.
On Thursday, May 2, the Lady Warriors met the Cowgirls for the district championship. The Lady Warriors had been defeated twice before this season by the Cowgirls, so they were more than ready to set that record straight. This was evident as the Lady Warriors scored three runs in the opening inning. When the Cowgirls responded with two runs in the bottom of the first inning, it was obvious this would be a closely contested game. The Lady Warriors gave themselves a bit of breathing room with two unanswered runs in the top of the second. Both teams traded runs in the third inning. The Warriors held a 6-3 lead going into the bottom of the seventh inning. The Cowgirls mounted a rally to tighten the score to 6-5. With the tying baserunner on third, and two outs, Vickers hurls a strike out to end the contest and chalking up a district championship for the Lady Warriors.
Ray went two-for-three in the batter’s box, with one RBI. Marie Kelly had two hits in her three at-bats, with two RBIs. Makayla Kelly went one-for-four, with one RBI.
Vickers turned in another top performance in the pitcher’s circle, giving up five hits, one earned run and three walks. Vickers also struck out 15 batters.
“I am so proud of the way my girls showed up with confidence on Tuesday and [Thursday] night ready to win a ballgame,” said ACA Head Softball Coach Becky Brandies. “It was do or die time for us and I find that it is much easier going into competition without having a target on your back. We were the underdogs going in to it and to come out Champions was an incredible feeling! There is no one more deserving than these ladies!”
The Warriors will move on to the Class 1A Region Three semi-final against the Buccaneers of Branford High School. The game is scheduled for Thursday, May 9, at Branford High School. The first pitch is slated to take place at 7 p.m.