The Varsity Lady Tigers Softball Team traveled to East Lawrence last week to play in the 4A Area 15 Tournament. Ardmore, East Limestone, East Lawrence and Lawrence County are the teams that make up Area 15. The Lady Tigers proved that defense really does win championships, as they made it through five games with only two errors. Ardmore also proved to be very successful with the bats, as they racked up 31 hits in the tournament. The Lady Tigers played very well throughout the tournament, especially on Saturday when they played four back-to-back games and never gave up.

The Lady Tigers defeated Lawrence County 5-0 on Thursday, advancing to play on Saturday. Ardmore faced East Limestone Saturday morning, and fell 2-0, dropping into the Loser’s bracket, as East advanced to the championship game. Ardmore beat home standing East Lawrence 5-0, earning a sure spot in the Sub-state tournament, and advanced to the Championship game. The Lady Tigers claimed back-to-back glorious victories over East Limestone on Saturday to capture the tournament. East Limestone has remained undefeated in the Area all season, until Saturday when they fell twice to Ardmore in the championship series. Ardmore beat the Lady Indians 4-3 and 3-0 to win the Area Tournament.

Ardmore hosted Madison County in the first round of the Sub-state tournament on Tuesday, in a best of three series. The winner advanced to the second round of the Sub-state tournament on Saturday. Results were not available at press time.

Ardmore 5

Lawrence County 0

The Lady Tigers defeated Lawrence County 5-0 on Thursday in a very intense game. Ardmore had several opportunities to score, but was unable to do so until the top of the seventh inning. Ardmore was able to keep Lawrence County from scoring throughout the game, as Casey Steadman was backed by her defense, to pitch a two-hitter.

Amy Collier started the hitting off in the seventh inning, with a single to center field. Aarika Boggs followed with a single to deep left field. Sara Jo Taylor scored Collier when she hit a single to right field. Brittney Brown loaded the bases when she reached base on a fielder’s choice bunt. Shannon Fogg scored courtesy runner Kayla Martin and Taylor, when she reached base on a single. Casey Steadman reached base on a fielder’s choice. Brown and courtesy runner, Krystal Thornton, scored on a single hit by Jennifer Ratley, to bring the inning to a close with a lead of 5-0.

Casey Steadman took the pitching win for Ardmore, striking out ten batters, walking zero, and permitting two hits. Amber Wise was the catcher.

East Limestone 2

Ardmore 0

The Lady Tigers fell 2-0 to East Limestone on Saturday morning. The Lady Tigers out hit the Lady Indians 3-2 but weren’t successful in scoring. The game was tied 0-0 going into the bottom of the sixth inning, but things would soon change. East picked up their only two hits of the game, leading to two runs scored. The Lady Tigers were unable to take control of the game, as they fell into the Loser’s bracket.

Leading Ardmore in hits was Melissa Sharp with a triple and a single. Amber Wise also picked up a single for the Lady Tigers. Casey Steadman led Ardmore from the mound, striking out eight batters, walking three, and permitting only two runs. Amber Wise was the catcher.

Ardmore 5

East Lawrence 0

The Lady Tigers played another very impressive game against East Lawrence, allowing no errors, and rounding out eight hits. Ardmore took a 3-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Melissa Sharp reached base on a single, followed by a single from Aarika Boggs. Amy Collier reached base on a fielder’s choice that scored Sharp. Courtesy runner, Kayla Martin, scored for Boggs when Amber Wise had a sacrifice bunt to third base.

Ardmore scored two more runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to advance into the championship game, with a 5-0 win. Sharp reached base on a walk and later scored on a wild pitch. Collier hit a single and later scored on a single hit by Sara Jo Taylor.

The Lady Tigers played impressive defense to back up Casey Steadman, as she pitched a one hitter, and allowed zero runs. Amber Wise was the catcher.

Ardmore 4

East Limestone 3

The Lady Tigers proved to be the stronger team on Saturday, as they defeated the East Limestone Lady Indians twice to earn an Area trophy and the privilege of hosting the first round of the sub-state playoffs.

East Limestone took an early lead in the first game, as they scored two runs in the top of the first inning. Leadoff batter, Scott, reached base on a walk, as Pepper sacrifice bunted her to second Base. Medley singled to left, advancing Scott to third. Johnson, courtesy runner for Medley, moved to second on the next pitch. Bowling hit to third and Ardmore’s Brittney Brown tried to tag out Scott but failed. Tittsworth hit to third base and an overthrow at home allowed Scott to score, but Ardmore’s catcher, Callie Steadman, throws the ball to Aarika Boggs at home plate to tag out Johnson for the second out. Franks then singled to left field, scoring Bowling, as East held a 2-0 lead at the end of the inning.

The Lady Tigers rallied in the bottom of the first inning to take a 3-2 lead over East. Melissa Sharp led off with a single, advanced to second on a wild pitch, and stole third. Sharp scored on a single to right field hit by Shannon Fogg. Jada Norton bunted the ball to the first baseman that turned to throw the ball to the second baseman at first. The second baseman missed the ball, Fogg scored, and Norton reached third base on a bunt. Norton then scored on a sacrifice bunt by Brittney Brown. The Lady Tigers ended the inning with a 3-2 lead.

The Lady Indians left one runner in scoring position in the top of the second, and failed to score. In the bottom of the inning, Ardmore’s Amy Collier reached base on a single to left field and advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Taylor, but failed to score.

Ardmore took a bigger lead in the bottom of the third, when Jada Norton hit a triple to right center with only one out. Norton scored when Casey Steadman bunted to third base who tried to throw Norton out at home, but was unsuccessful. Ardmore grabbed a 4-2 lead over East.

The Lady Indians picked up another run in the top of the seventh inning, but that was not enough as Ardmore picked up a 4-3 win. East Limestone’s Turner reached base on a walk, and advanced to second on a ground out by McKinney. Holder singled to center field, as Turner then scored on a ground out by Scott.

Aarika Boggs took the pitching win for Ardmore, walking three batters, and permitting four hits. Callie Steadman was the catcher.

Ardmore 3 East Limestone 0

The Lady Tigers shut out the Lady Indians 3-0 in the championship game. Ardmore took a 1-0 lead in the bottom of the second inning. Casey Steadman reached base on an error in center field. Courtesy runner, Krystal Thornton, advanced to second on a sacrifice bunt by Brittney Brown. Thornton then moved to third on a wild pitch and scored on a sacrifice fly to center field hit by Jennifer Ratley.

East had an opportunity to score in the top of the third. Holder walked with two outs and advanced to second on a single to center hit by Scott. Pepper followed with a single to center fielder Melissa Sharp, who threw Holder out at home plate to end the inning.

Ardmore picked up another run in the bottom of the third to hold onto a 2-0 lead. Sara Jo Taylor singled to left field with one out. Sharp bunted to the second baseman to move Taylor to second base. Taylor and Sharp advanced to third and second, on a ground out by Shannon Fogg. Taylor scored on an error at shortstop on a ball that was hit by Jada Norton.

In the top of the fourth inning, East Limestone’s Tittsworth, reached base on an error with two outs. She advanced to second base on a single to center field hit by Franks. Turner flied out to third base to end the inning.

In the top of the fifth and sixth innings East had opportunities to score, but due to outstanding defense by Ardmore, was unable to score. McKinney led off with a single to center in the fifth, but Ardmore made three back to back outs to keep East from scoring. In the sixth inning Bowling hit a ground rule double to left field with one out and was unable to score.

Ardmore picked up their final run in the bottom of the sixth inning, taking a 3-0 lead. The Lady Tigers were able to hold the Lady Indians in the seventh inning, as they went on to win the championship. Norton singled to shortstop with one out and advanced to second on the first basemen’s failure to stop the ball. Norton advanced to third on Steadman’s hit to left. Brittney Brown bunted the ball to the pitcher and the ball was held, loading the bases. Collier hit a shot off of the glove of the pitcher and was safe at first, as Norton scored.

Casey Steadman took the pitching win for Ardmore, striking out six batters, walking one, and permitting five hits. Amber Wise was the catcher.

Ardmore 7

0 0 0 0 0 0 5 X X 7 9 0

Lawrence County 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 X X 0 2 2

WP, Steadman, LP, Borden

Home runs - None

East Limestone 2

0 0 0 0 0 0 2 X X 2 2 0

Ardmore 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 X X 0 3 0

WP, Medley, LP, Steadman

Home runs - None

Ardmore 5

0 3 0 0 0 2 0 X X 5 8 0

East Lawrence 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 X X 0 1 1

WP, Steadman, LP, Terry

Home runs - None

Ardmore 4

3 0 1 0 0 0 0 X X 4 5 1

East Limestone 3

2 0 0 0 0 0 1 X X 3 4 1

WP, Boggs, LP, Medley

Home runs - None

Ardmore 3

0 1 1 0 0 1 0 X X 3 6 1

East Limestone 0

0 0 0 0 0 0 0 X X 0 5 3 WP, Steadman, LP, Medley

Home runs