By DREW GRANTHUM / Sports writer

MONTGOMERY —The Briarwood Christian softball team has exited the Class 5A State Championship hunt earlier than desired, falling in an elimination game, 8-5 to Faith Christian.

It was a close contest for the majority of the game, as Faith put together a pair of runs through three. They added two more in the top of the fourth, but Briarwood answered with three in the bottom with Amelia Moore scoring on a sac fly by Hannah Hall, and Rachel Walz scoring on a Savannah Kolb sac fly, to make it 4-3, Faith.

It looked to be a pitcher’s duel until the top of the sixth, when Faith piled on 4 to make the score 8-3.

The Lions refused to go away quietly, as DeOra Simon, Morgan Reed and Moore all hit singles to load the bases in the bottom of the seventh. Simon and Reed scored on a Walz single, making it 8-5.
Unfortunately for the Lions, it would be all they could muster, as the rally was ended on a Ashlyn Boyd fly out to center.

Despite the early exit, Head Coach Suzanne Serrano said she was impressed by their effort.

“I’m so proud of them,” she said. “We have no seniors, so we’re ready to come back with the same team next year. I just told them that success of this year will set us up for the beginning of next year.”