By WESLEY HALLMAN / Sports Editor

MONTGOMERY — Chelsea High School softball coach Russell McCartey could pinpoint just one difference between the Hornets’ opening game of the Alabama High School Athletic Association Class 5A state tournament against Mortimer Jordan and the game one day later against the Blue Devils that ended their season.

Experience played a role in Mortimer Jordan’s 5-4 win over Chelsea in extra innings in an elimination game, McCartey said. The Hornets opened the state tournament with a 3-0 win over the Blue Devils.

“They are a championship program,” McCartey said. “They did what it took. They just came through when they needed to.”

The Hornets (33-18) carried a 3-1 lead into the bottom of the seventh inning before Mortimer Jordan rallied with two runs to tie the game at 3-3 and send it into extra innings.

Chelsea took a 4-3 lead in the top of the eighth inning, but the Blue Devils plated two runs to clinch the victory in the bottom half of the inning.

“I’m proud of my girls for responding with a run,” McCartey said, “but we came up just short.”

Chelsea took a 3-0 lead in the top of the fourth inning.

Allie Luster reached on a throwing error before scoring on a ground out by Amanda Mock. Alex Osborn singled to the left-center field gap before scoring on a fielding error by the Blue Devils. Morgan Pence reached base on a fielder’s choice hit and scored on a Mortimer Jordan error.

Mortimer Jordan scored one run in the bottom of the fifth inning before tying the game with two runs in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Chelsea took a 4-3 lead in the top of the eighth inning.

Kacie Craft led off the inning with a double to the left-field wall and moved to third base on a sacrifice bunt by Mock before scoring on an RBI single by Amber McCarty.

However, Mortimer Jordan plated the game-tying and game-winning run on a two-run single in the bottom half of the eighth inning.

Osborn led the Hornets at the plate as she finished 3-for-4 and scored a run. Craft went 2-for-4 and scored a run.

Bice took the loss in the circle after giving up four runs on 10 hits with a strikeout in 4 2/3 innings.

Pence started the game and allowed just four hits with two strikeouts and one walk in 3 1/3 innings.

McCartey said he was pleased with the Hornets’ progress after his team captured its first win in the Class 5A state tournament since 2008.

Chelsea defeated Mortimer Jordan and Eufaula in the state tournament. The Hornets fell to Faith Academy and dropped their second game against the Blue Devils.

McCartey praised a two-member senior class, Morgan Pence and Carley Toretta, for helping take the Chelsea program to a new level.

“Our program has come a long way,” McCartey said. “I’m very proud of our girls and how far they’ve come. Our seniors were a good group of girls.”