Thompson softball celebrates seniors with win

Published 10:27 am Thursday, April 21, 2022

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By SETH HAGAN | Special to the Reporter

ALABASTER – The Thompson Warriors celebrated a special senior class on Tuesday, April 19, outlasting Oak Mountain in a low-scoring battle.

Elenor DeBlock and Allison Turner battled one another in the circl, which led to a tight contest.

On senior night, however, DeBlock gave the fans another gem, as Thompson took the win 3-1.

DeBlock was focused and precise from the start, striking out the first three batters that came to the plate.

The Thompson offense struck in the bottom of the first inning when Dailynn Motes and Olivia Tindell led off with two singles.

Motes got a good start and blazed around the bases after the Eagles opted to try and throw out Tindell on her bunt.

Both defenses began to clamp down the next couple of innings.

DeBlock sat down six of the next seven batters she faced, while Turner got a little help from her infield in the second inning.

Thompson had Jenna Williams on third with Kendall Channel up to bat. Channel sent a hard line drive to third base, but Oak Mountain’s Emily Hart snagged the ball midair and quickly tagged third to pull off the double play and save a run.

The Warriors found home plate again in the third inning, however, off back-to-back singles from Laney Williams and Chalea Clemmons with two outs to make it a 2-0 ballgame.

Oak Mountain responded in its next at bat, as Elizabeth Zeleski sent a home run over the left field fence to lead off the top of the fourth inning.

However, DeBlock remained unfazed, striking out the next batter and getting a fly out and a ground out to work her way around a single and keep the lead.

The Eagles’ infield kept Thompson off the scoreboard and threatened again in the fifth inning.

Emily Macken drew a leadoff walk, was bunted over to second, then advanced to third on a wild pitch with one out.

Sheridan Andrews then stepped up and sent a deep fly ball to center field allowing Macken to tag and head home to tie the game.

However, a review of the play by the umpires determined she left too early, turning the run into a double play to end the inning.

Thompson quickly added an insurance run next with Dailynn Motes sending her third consecutive single into the outfield with no outs.

Two batters later, after another steal from Motes, Laney Williams sent a single of her own into center field for the Warriors’ final run.

DeBlock finished the game with the win, spreading three hits and two walks out over six innings with seven strikeouts. Clemmons came on in the seventh to close out the game with a save.

Motes finished the game 3-for-3 with two runs. Laney Williams was 2-for-2 with an RBI and Tindell went 1-for-2 with a run and an RBI.

Zeleski led Oak Mountain going 2-for-3 with her home run and an RBI.

Turner allowed seven hits with four walks and three earned runs in six innings.