Demopolis softball goes 1-1 in Gulf Coast elimination play

After finishing 3-1 in pool play and seeding No. 6 out of 39 teams in the Gulf Coast Classic at Gulf Shores, Demopolis split a pair of games in elimination play Wednesday.

Demopolis 6, Pleasant Valley 3

The Tigers ran up a 6-0 lead and held on for a 6-3 victory over Class 3A Pleasant Valley in their opening game of the afternoon Wednesday.  Demopolis got the bats going in the second inning with a leadoff single from Kendall Hannah. Kayla Montz doubled to put a pair in scoring position for Bria Brown, who cashed in the opportunity by singling both in for the 2-0 lead.

Demopolis added to that lead with a four-run rally in the top of the fourth inning. Montz opened the frame with a single before Brown reached on an error. Napoleon Roberson reached on a fielder’s choice ahead of a Taylor Smith single that plated Brown to move the lead to 3-0. Courtney Smith followed with a single to drive in Roberson. Elly Brown then doubled home the Smith sisters to move the lead to 6-0.

Four Raiders hits in the bottom of the fourth scored three runs to cut into the Demopolis lead but Pleasant Valley could get no closer.

Austin 5, Demopolis 2

Demopolis followed by digging itself a 3-0 hole against Class 6A Austin en route to a 5-2 loss that ended its tournament run.

The Bears scored a run in the top of the second and two more in the fourth for a 3-0 advantage. Demopolis looked ready to get back into it in the bottom of the fourth when Abbey Latham doubled before scoring on Natalie Tatum’s single to cut it to 3-1.

Austin would have none of it as the Bears used four hits to plate two more runs in the top of the fifth, moving the advantage to 5-1.

Napoleon Roberson looked to give her team life with a leadoff single in the home half of the fifth. Taylor Smith hit into a fielder’s choice that erased Roberson. Courtney Smith followed with a single to set the table for the Tigers’ power hitters. Elly Brown drew a walk to load the bases for Latham, who hit a sacrifice fly to plate Taylor Smith. Tatum singled to load the bases again with two outs. A grounder to short then allowed the Bears to cut down the Tigers’ lead runner at the plate to nullify the threat and end the game.

Demopolis sits at 22-6 following the tournament.