Fairhope wins Swing into Spring Softball Tourney

• Baldwin County takes 2017 runner-up trophy in 13-team event hosted by Robertsdale

GCM Sports
Posted 2/27/17

Tied 3-3, Emma Kropp’s two-RBI double in the fourth inning pushed the Pirates ahead of the Baldwin County Tigers and Fairhope held on to win the 2017 Swing into Spring Tourney at Robertsdale High Saturday.

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Fairhope wins Swing into Spring Softball Tourney

• Baldwin County takes 2017 runner-up trophy in 13-team event hosted by Robertsdale

Posted

ROBERTSDALE, Ala. — Tied 3-3, Emma Kropp’s two-RBI double in the fourth inning pushed the Pirates ahead of the Baldwin County Tigers and Fairhope held on to win the 2017 Swing into Spring Tourney 5-3 at Robertsdale High Saturday.

Junior right-hander Samantha Yarbrough (3-0) got the win for the Pirates who improved to 6-0 overall.

Baldwin County High jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the top of the first inning when Gail Pinkard singled in Ava Worthy and Morgan Davison’s sacrifice scored Kahalley Brooks. A single by Alexis Cook put Brooks at third. Fairhope tied it in their half after Addison Reagan led off with a double, scored on a single by Morgan LeDrew and Yarbrough singled and scored on Bailey Keith‘s RBI hit.

The Tigers went up 3-2 in the second inning on a fielder’s choice hit into by Pinkard to score Denise Rider. The Pirates’ Sallie Fell scored from second on LeDrew’s single in the bottom of the second. Yarbrough also got the win over perennial Class 7A power Baker in the semifinals.

The Tigers defeated Hueytown in their semifinal game with a dramatic comeback.

The Tigers also defeated Foley, Alma Bryant and Gulf Shores. BCHS coach Anthony Cox said he was extremely proud of his team.

“We overcame adversity in the Gulf Shores game. We had both of our catchers out, LK Weatherford was sick and Sydney Stewart is injured so Alexis Cook stepped in and caught for us. Before we knew, we were down 5-1. But we fought back and showed a lot of heart by coming back.”

Weatherford recovered to play the last few innings and the team rallied to win the game 11-6 with Brooks on the mound. Brooks pitched a six hitter with four strikeouts. Ava Worthy had 2 hits, 2 RBIs, and 2 runs scored, Brooks had 2 hits and an RBI, Pinkard had a single and 2 RBIs, Davison had 2 hits and 2 runs scored, Bailey Cox had 2 hits, 2 runs scored and 3 RBIs, and Layla Hadley had 2 hits, scored a run, and had 2 RBIs.

In the 7-5 win over Hueytown, Davison pitched a seven hitter. Ava Worthy had 2 hits and 3 RBIs, Kahalley Brooks had a home run and a single, 2 runs scored and 2 RBIs, Alexis Cook had 3 hits, a run scored, and 2 RBIs, and Davison had 2 hits.

In the championship game, Cook had an RBI single, Davison had a RBI fielder’s choice as did Pinkard.

“(A) total team effort throughout the tournament.” Cox said. “But I thought Alexis Cook, Kahalley Brooks, Ava Worthy, and Morgan Davison each had a great tournament. The team is a very close knit group that have been playing together for several years and they are ready to have a great year."

Baldwin County (5-2) plays Foley at home at 7 p.m. Thursday (March 2) and travels to Wetumpka Friday for the their invitational tournament.

The “2017 Swing into Spring” hosting Golden Bears advanced to the quarterfinals with a win over McGill-Toolen Catholic, but were knocked out in the semis by Hueytown. The Pirates also won the junior varsity tournament with an 8-3 win over Faith Academy in the championship. Bella Wiggins got the title win for the Pirates.

Tina Covington contributed to this story