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By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

PELHAM – The Pelham Panthers entered their final area game against the Spain Park Jaguars looking for their first area victory, and they accomplished just that to shake up the race for the regular season area championship.

Pelham defeated Spain Park 5-1 on Tuesday, April 15 at Pelham High School, dropping Spain Park in the area standings and setting up rival Helena to clinch the hosting rights for the area tournament if they defeat the Jags on Thursday, April 17.

Despite the score line, the Jags took control first, taking advantage of a one-out double from Chloe Wade to get an RBI double from Klara Thompson with two outs in the top of the first.

That would be Spain Park’s lone run of the game though as Jordan Young took control of the game. Despite giving up nine hits and three walks over the course of her six-inning start, that double was her lone run given up. She struck out nine Jags to set up the Panthers offense for big things.

After taking back-to-back walks to start the bottom of the first, Young provided her own run support with a three-run home run to center, giving Pelham a 3-1 lead that it would not relinquish. The Panthers got two more runners aboard in the inning but left both stranded.

Pelham got a bases-loaded situation in the bottom of the fourth when Eva Lee, Rebecca Roy and Laini Stewart hit three-straight singles with one out.

Taylor Howard continued the rally with an RBI single to make it a 4-1 lead, and Young secured the fifth-straight single with the fifth run of the game as she brought Roy home for the 5-1 lead.

Spain Park loaded up the bases with one out in the bottom of the sixth, but back-to-back strikeouts got Young out of the inning and ended her day in the circle. Reese Jones came in for the seventh and closed it down with a one-two-three inning that included two strikeouts.

In addition to her nine-strikeout day as a pitcher, Young went 3-for-4 at the plate with four RBI and one run thanks to her three-run home run and an RBI single.

For the Jags, Maxie Provost finished a perfect 3-for-3 and Jordan Weiner was 2-for-4 on the day.

Pelham improved to 11-13 overall and 1-5 in area play. The Panthers will host the West Blocton Tigers on Thursday, April 17 at 5:30 p.m. at Pelham High School before playing in tournament action at Prattville Christian Academy on Saturday, April 19.

Pelham will then close the regular season at home against Homewood on Tuesday, April 22 at 5 p.m.

Spain Park dropped to 21-17 overall and 3-2 in area play with the loss. The Jags will close area play with a crucial game at the Helena Huskies on Thursday, April 17 at 4:30 p.m. before finishing the regular season at the Hoover Classic on April 18 and 19.