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By ANDREW SIMONSON | Sports Editor

COLUMBIANA – The Shelby County Wildcats found themselves tested in one of their final games before the end of the regular season but emerged victorious against the Thorsby Rebels.

Shelby County defeated Thorsby 5-4 on Monday, April 21 at Shelby County High School after a strong weekend for the Wildcats.

Shelby County also beat Thorsby on the road on Thursday, April 17 by a score of 16-11 before a 2-1 weekend in tournament action at Childersburg. The Wildcats beat Randolph County 8-6 and Vincent 4-3 before a 6-4 loss to Childersburg.

The Rebels took the early 1-0 lead in the top of the first when back-to-back errors allowed a run to cross home plate.

Caitlan Bland quickly equalized in the home half of the inning with a one-out solo shot to make it 1-1.

Shelby County would then take a 2-1 lead in the following inning when Madison Tolleson reached base and then came home on a sacrifice bunt, stolen base and passed ball.

Thorsby drew a walk to start the third that proved costly as the runner stole second, reached third on a ground out and secured a run with an RBI double to tie it back up at 2-2.

Bland stepped up and delivered once again with another one-out solo home run, this time in the bottom of the third to take a 3-2 lead.

However, an error and a passed ball in the top of the fifth proved costly for the Wildcats as the Rebels tied up the game at 3-3 on an RBI ground out.

Shelby County got a walk to start the bottom of the fifth but got out on the next two at-bats. Thorsby intentionally walked Bland to avoid a third home run, but it couldn’t avoid the impending rally.

Kaydence Connell singled to right to score a run and take a one-run lead. From there, Kloe Gallups came up with an RBI single of her own to increase the lead to 5-3.

The Rebels got a one-out RBI single after a lead-off walk in the top of the seventh, but they couldn’t close the gap any more and the Wildcats took the 5-4 win.

Bland was 2-for-2 with two home runs along with a third run off her walk. Gallups finished 2-for-3 with an RBI.

Danslen Connell got the complete-game win, striking out four batters while working around four total runs, two of which were earned, off three hits and three walks.

Shelby County would go on to lose its final regular season game 13-2 to the Maplesville Red Devils. The Wildcats scored twice in the first inning off another solo shot from Bland and a run during a double play, but the Red Devils scored 13 unanswered runs to win in five innings.

Madelyn Minton was 2-for-2 while Danslen Connell finished 2-for 3 with a run.

Shelby County finished the regular season 15-7. The Wildcats will face Central-Clay County in the first round of the Class 5A, Area 8 tournament on Monday, April 28 at 9 a.m. in Sylacauga.