Middle school Huskies win Metro
Their hopes of a perfect season were derailed, but the Huskies still took home the hardware.
The Hewitt-Trussville Middle School finished off the Metro Tournament championship with a 14-6 win over Simmons on a late Tuesday night, April 10.
Simmons advanced through the losers bracket and outlasted the Huskies, 5-4, in eight innings in the first game of the championship series. But with the double-elimination format, Hewitt-Trussville needed to be beaten twice. The Huskies refused to let that happen, won the second game and finished the year with a 22-1 record.
Game 1
► Simmons 5, Hewitt-Trussville 4 (8 innings)
Hewitt-Trussville entered the Metro championship with a perfect record and for much of the game, it looked as if the Huskies would cap off the unblemished season.
Through six innings, the only scoring in game came in the bottom of the second, when the Huskies scored a pair of runs to take a 2-0 lead. Olivia Stults doubled to left field to score courtesy runner Hailey Chambers, before Haley Wilkinson scored later in the inning on an error.
Down to its final at-bat, Simmons mounted a rally, scoring its first run on a bunt and actually taking the 3-2 lead with a two-run double.
In the bottom of the seventh, Hewitt-Trussville tied the game at 3-3. With two outs, Hannah Dorsett beat out a grounder, which allowed Rubie Simon to come around and score. But Simmons put two more runs on the board in the eighth and held on for the win.
Game 2
► Hewitt-Trussville 14, Simmons 6
The Huskies wasted no time extinguishing any doubt in the second game, as they piled on nine runs in the first three innings to put the game virtually out of reach. Dorsett’s bases-clearing double and Simon’s inside-the-park home run helped the Huskies tack four runs on the board in the second and third innings each.
Dorsett finished the game 3-for-5 with two doubles and four RBIs. Ana Henson picked up three RBIs on a pair of hits, and Katie Flannery rebounded from a 1-for-4 first game to reach base all four times in the second game and drive in two runs.
Sarah Hindman and Gracie Reeves combined to pitch both games and lead the Huskies to the title.
Other members of the team include Layla Bradshaw, Kenleigh Cahalan, Taylor Davis, Reagan Humphries, Emily Onofry, Riley Rudick, Hannah Virciglio and Maddie Wallace. The team is coached by Jim Bailes, Melissa Hornsby and Blaire Perry.