North Wins All-Star Softball Games

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North Wins Softball Opener, Ties Nightcap


The North softball stars rallied in the seventh inning of a second-game tie after making an early lead stand up in winning the series opener in the 2011 All-Star Sports Week series Monday night at Montgomery's Lagoon Park.

Game 2: North 3, South 3 (7 innings)

Ragland's Emily Church blasted a two-out, game-tying homer in the bottom of the seventh inning to help the North All-Stars avoid a loss in game two of the All-Star Sports Week softball games.

The South appeared headed for a victory until Church's shot to center tied the game 3-3, the way it ended when it was called after seven innings according to Sports Week softball guidelines. Church was named the North team MVP.

St. Paul's Kourtnee Owens crushed a two-run, two-out, fifth-inning homer to give the South a 3-0 lead in the top of the fifth. After Ariton's Haley Goodson had given the South a 1-0 lead, scoring on a North error, Owens drove home her St. Paul's teammate Emily Messer.

Owens was named the South team's MVP.

The North bounced back to cut the lead to 3-2 in the bottom of the fifth when Bob Jones' Abby Guest doubled and later scored on an infield out. Vestavia Hills' Taylor Moon walked and later scored on a single by McKinley Tribble of Springville.

The North continues to hold a commanding 21-6-1 lead in the series.

Game 1: North 6, South 3

The North All-Stars scored three runs in the top of the first and three more in the fourth to break open a close game en route to a 6-3 softball victory over the South in the 15^th annual All-Star Sports Week.

Olivia Golden of Hartselle and Morgan Read of Alexandria each singled in a run in the first to stake the North to a lead it would never relinquish.

The South pulled within one in the bottom of the first as Kayla Hale of Trinity Presbyterian singled home a run.

Haylie McCleney of Mortiner Jordan singled in another run in the fourth for the North, which also scored two unearned runs to take a 6-2 lead.

Alabama Christian's Amanda Seales homered in the South fifth to cut it to 6-3.

North starting pitcher Marcy Harper of Hoover was the winning pitcher, scattering six hits in three innings of work with no earned runs. South starter Tori Free of Luverne took the loss.

The win gives the North a 21-6 lead in the series.