By Charles Prince

The North Jefferson News



The Mortimer Jordan Lady Blue Devils made a statement when they won the Cullman Pre-Sectional Blowout tournament early Sunday morning.

The Lady Devils served notice, they’re the team to beat in Class 5A softball this year.

During the tournament, which started Friday night and ended after 1 a.m. on Sunday morning, the Jordan girls rolled to a 7-0 record and improved to 39-4 overall this year.

Jordan will be off until Thursday at 6:30 p.m., when they face Walker in the first round of the 5A, Area 12 tournament at Morris.

In pool play, the Lady Devils whipped Austin, Wetumpka and Hartselle.

In elimination play, they whipped Decatur and Lawrence County.

Then in the semi-finals, they whipped the host Lady Bearacts and took the crown with a win over Buckhorn.

Mortimer Jordan 6,

Austin 2

Blair Johnson improved to 16-1 as she threw a five-hitter and struck out seven.

At the plate, Morgan “Mo” Estell, had a double and eighth grader Halie McCleney had a triple and three RBIs.

Mortimer Jordan 4,

Hartselle 2

Senior Michelle Cheatwood won the 80th game of her career (80-32) as she threw a three-hitter and struck out five.

She improved to 18-2 for the 2008 season.

At the plate, Johnson went 2-for-3 with a double and two RBIs. Estell had a double and an RBI and McCleney had a double.

Mortimer Jordan 12,

Wetumpka 2

Johnson fired a four-hitter and struck out four, while allowing only one earned run, to improve to 17-1.

Estell went 3-for-3 with two doubles, a stolen base and two RBIs. Brandy Worden went 3-for-3.

Danae Hayes went 2-for-3 with a double and a sacrifice fly. Hayes drove in four runs.

Alyssa Linn went 2-for-4 with a double and an RBI.

Kayla Cox had a double and two RBIs.

Mortimer Jordan 5,

Decatur 0

Cheatwood (19-2) fired a two-hitter and struck out five, as the Lady Devils won their first elimination game.

At the plate, Estell had a triple. Worden went 3-for-3 again and had an RBI.Hayes went 2-for-2 with a home run and three RBIs. McCleney had a double and an RBI.

Mortimer Jordan 6,

Lawrence County 0

Johnson (18-1) threw a two-hitter and struck out five.

At the plate, she helped herself as she went 2-for-3 with a triple and four RBIs.

Estell had a double and Worden had a double and two RBIs.

Mortimer Jordan 8,

Cullman 6

In a much anticipated game, No. 2-ranked Jordan faced off with the No. 6-ranked hosts in the tournament semi-finals.

Cheatwood (20-2) was the winning pitcher, reaching the 20-win mark for the third straight season.

She walked three, allowed three hits and struck out five. She allowed a season-high six earned runs.

At the plate, senior Erin Whitlock went 2-for-3 with a double and an RBI.

Hayes went 2-for-3 with two doubles.

Logan Woodward had a double and a walk.

Mortimer Jordan 10,

Buckhorn 5

The Lady Devils clinched the tourney title by collecting 14 hits.

Woodward and Whitlock both had three hits, Johnson, Worden, McCleney and Hayes had two each.

Johnson had a double. Hayes had a double and an RBI.

McCleney had two doubles and three RBIs.

Worden had an RBI.

Whitlock had a double and two RBIs.

In the pitching circle, Johnson allowed nine hits, but allowed only one earned run. She walked one and struck out six as she improved to 19-1.