Hartselle takes down Muscle Shoals, wins another area championship
May 1—HARTSELLE — For the fourth year in a row, the Hartselle Tigers softball team is the area champion.
The Tigers defeated Muscle Shoals 9-6 Tuesday night to claim the Class 6A, Area 15 crown.
"Four years in a row, that's pretty exciting," said senior Kaelyn Jones.
Hartselle wasted no time in taking control of the game. Katie Gillott had an RBI single and Katie Norgard added a two-run home run in the first inning. In the second, Jones had a two-RBI single to push the lead to 5-1.
By the end of the sixth inning, Hartselle led 9-2.
"We've started to hit the ball solid," Hartselle head coach Anna Hall said. "Last night and then again tonight, we've seen the ball really well. Hopefully that continues."
Muscle Shoals attempted a comeback in the final inning, scoring four runs, but it wasn't enough.
Gillott led the Tigers with three hits and three RBIs, while Jones and Norgard each had three hits and two RBis.
While another area championship is a nice notch in the belt, the real test begins now. Hartselle again enters the 6A regional tournament with high hopes. The Tigers are ranked No. 4 and boast a 31-13-2 record. This time, however, they hope to not have an early exit and instead reach the 6A state tournament for the first time since 2019.
"It's motivating. This is my senior year, and we have high hopes," Jones said. "We can't overthink it — just keep it simple and play our game."
While Hall may be in her first year as head coach, she's been a longtime assistant for the Tigers. Her message for her team entering the regional tournament is a simple one.
"Play every game like you're playing the best team we've played, and play every game like it's your last," Hall said.
— caleb.suggs@decaturdaily.com or 256-340-2395. Twitter @CalebSuggs2
