Chambers Softball ranked No. 2 in AISA
BY KATIE MCELVY
THE LAFAYETTE SUN
LAFAYETTE — Chambers Academy baseball, softball face off opponents in weekend tournament.
Lady Rebels Softball
The Alabama Sports Writers Association recently released its softball rankings for
the state, ranking the Chambers Academy Lady Rebels No. 2 behind Bessemer Academy.
The Lady Rebels hold a 23-4 record just six weeks from the state tournament. Three of Chambers’ four losses have come at the hands of Bessemer. The Lady Rebels’ season was illustrated in their play last week.
After beating Lakeside 15-3, Chambers entered a weekend tournament at Edgewood Academy. They faced a tough Lowndes team first. The first batter for Lowndes homered on a line drive over the center field wall. The Lady Rebels answered, tying it up at 1-1, but the first batter for Lowndes in the second inning also hit a homerun. This time, Chambers had trouble at the plate and didn’t find success until in the bottom of the fourth when Allie Paschal doubled and Blakely Allen knocked her in on a sacrifice fly to once again tie up the game. Lowndes took back the lead 3-2 in the fifth. In the bottom of the inning with two runners on, Peyton Earl cleared the bases with a stand-up double to take a 4-3 lead. The Lady Rebel defense held Lowndes scoreless in the sixth to get the victory. Earl got the win in the circle, striking out six.
The Lady Rebels continued to advance in the tournament with a 10-0 win over Southern Academy and an 11-1 win over Edgewood Academy. They then faced Southern Academy again. Chambers had a big second inning with Paschal and Earl both doubling to put Chambers up 6-1. The Cougars then tried to fight back, cutting the lead to two, but their rally fell short and the Lady Rebels advanced to the championship game with 7-5 win. Blakely Allen got the win in the circle.
Chambers once again faced Bessemer in the championship. Chambers took a 1-0 lead in the first, but Bessemer tied it up in the bottom of the inning. The Lady Rebels then added another run in the third to take back the lead, but the Bessemer bats were just too much for the Lady Rebels, and Chambers fell 10-2.
Rebel Baseball
The Rebels added five points to the win column last week. They faced previously unbeaten area foe and heated rival Springwood to open the week and forced a run rule in all three games, beating the Wildcats 12-0, 12-0, and 22-5. Pitchers Cameron Gooden, Bryce Modling and Colton Fuller picked up the wins.
Chambers then entered the Edgewood Invitational. They faced the hosting team in the first game. The Rebels put up a big first inning. Landon Hand, Bryce Modling, Tucker Thrower, Trip O’Donnell and Drew Sheppard all singled in the inning, putting the Rebels up 6-0. Edgewood fought back, adding 4 runs in the bottom of the inning. Chambers took advantage of an Edgewood error in the second to go up 8-4, but Edgewood once again got hits to cut the lead 8-7. Eli Whorton and Thrower both singled in the third to put Chambers at 10. Edgewood tried to rally in the last inning, but the Rebels prevailed, getting the 10-8 win. Hunter Andrews got the win on the mound, striking out six.
Heritage held a 1-0 lead over the Rebels in the next game until Whorton tripled to set up a run. Colton Fuller hit in the RBI to tie up the game. Andrews singled, and Hand doubled in the third to put runners on for a Modling bunt which sent in one run. Sam Smith hit in Whorton in the fourth to put Chambers up 4-1. Heritage added one run in sixth, but the Rebels walked away with the 4-2 win. Drew Sheppard got the win on the mound, striking out six and only allowing three hits.
The Rebels lost to Southern in the tournament on elimination day.
