Valley eliminated in area tournament
BY DANIEL SCHMIDT
THE LAFAYETTE SUN
VALLEY — Valley High School’s softball team was eliminated from postseason play following 9-1 and 9-2 defeats to Elmore County High School at Beauregard High School on May 1 and May 4.
With the elimination rounds of the 5A Area 5 tournament completed, the Lady Rams finished their 2026 campaign with a 9-23 overall record, while the Lady Panthers advanced to the championship games at 18-19.
It was a season full of ups and downs for VHS head coach Madyson Messer, who led an extremely young squad that only had one senior.
Messer thanked Amari Lowe for her efforts throughout her career for the Lady Rams and expressed her excitement to watch her underclassmen pick up the torch.
“I told them that no matter the outcome in any of our games, I’m always proud of them and that I’d choose them over anyone else,” Messer said. “This season may be over, but next season starts tomorrow. We’ll keep working and keep grinding. We have a lot to prove, and we’re excited for the future.”
Game 1
ECHS struck first in the bottom of the first inning to take a 1-0 lead before scoring three more runs in the second and runs in the third, fourth and fifth innings.
With the Lady Panthers up 7-0 going into the sixth inning, VHS managed to get on the board when Kailee Harris doubled on a line drive to center field, scoring Amari Lowe from third for the Lady Rams’ lone run of the game.
ECHS followed up with two more runs in the bottom of the frame before slamming the door shut on VHS in the top of the seventh.
Harris led the Lady Rams with one RBI, going 2-for-3 at the plate.
Addie Stephenson earned the win in the circle for the Lady Panthers, allowing four hits and no runs over five innings while striking out three and walking one.
Macy Wadkins took the loss for VHS. The right-hander went three innings, surrendering five runs — two earned — on six hits with one strikeout and one walk.
Game 2
In the second game against ECHS, the Lady Rams got off to a much better start. VHS jumped ahead early when Harris reached on a error on a grounder to third in the top of the first, scoring Lowe and Addison Lee from third and second, respectively.
However, the Lady Panthers answered in the bottom of the third, tying the game 2-2. ECHS did not look back from there, scoring seven more runs in the very next frame to take the 9-2 lead and conclude the scoring.
Lowe led the Lady Rams this time at the plate as the leadoff hitter with two hits in three at-bats.
Bailey Kennedy earned the win in the circle, giving up three hits and two unearned runs over seven innings while striking out five and walking one.
Hadley Helleso took the loss for Valley. The starter went three innings, allowing seven runs — six earned — on seven hits with three walks and no strikeouts.
