The softball rivalry between Montevallo High School and Calera High School is always special, but an April 20 meeting between the two teams took on a special meaning for the Lady Bulldogs’ five seniors.

The result was a 9-2 win for Montevallo, a perfect sendoff for Montevallo seniors Kaylan Davis, Anna Nix, Shanise Hudson, Kayla Irwin, and Cloe Jones.

Calera got out to an early lead in the top of the second when Kymber McGiboney singled to left and later scored on a two-out infield error.

Montevallo struck back in the bottom of the inning with three runs of its own. Kayla Irwin led off the inning with a walk, followed by a single off the bat of Anna Nix and another walk issued to Kaylan Davis. The trio of Montevallo seniors scored on consecutive errors and a sacrifice fly by Savanna Smith.

The Lady Bulldogs tacked on three more in the third. Following a walk to Nix, Davis came up with a single and Mallory Anderson reached on error. Montevallo then got back-to-back singles from Alex Bolton and Shanise Hudson to take a 6-1 lead.

The Lady Eagles answered with another run in the fourth, with McGiboney reaching on a single again before being chased home by Brittney Sherman’s triple down the right field line. Montevallo pitcher Kaylan Davis was able to stop the damage there, however, and the Lady Bulldogs held to a 6-2 lead.

Montevallo put three more runs on the board in the bottom of the inning. Savannah Upton was hit by a pitch and later scored on a passed ball. Cloe Jones singled and courtesy runner Addie Edwards scored on a sacrifice fly by Davis, and Nix singled and scored later on Anderson’s second hit of the game.

Jones led the Lady Bulldogs’ offensive attack with three hits in four trips to the plate, while Shanise Hudson, Nix and Davis all contributed two hits apiece. Davis took the win in the circle, going the distance and giving up six hits and striking out two.

McGiboney’s two hits paced Calera, while Katie Eiland went four innings to take the loss.