Corner had to take the long way home, but battled its way back through the loser’s bracket to win their Class 4A Area 11 tournament with back-to-back wins over No. 9 Haleyville on Friday.

The Jackets needed a two-run homer from Preslie Cruce in the top of the eighth inning to lock up an 8-6 victory over the Lions in the first final game. Cruce, who recently signed to play college ball at Western Kentucky, drove in Lille Blackmon, who had doubled with two out.

Cruce was also the winning pitcher, working 72/3 innings and allowing two hits and three earned runs. She was relieved by Madison McCormack in the sixth inning, but returned after McCormack got in trouble.

Blackmon’s solo home run started a five-run rally in the fifth inning of the second final game which keyed Corner’s 6-0 shutout win. The Jackets finished off the rally with four straight base hits.

Cruce pitched a complete-game one-hitter, and also drove in a run with a third-inning hit. Cruce also scored on a sacrifice fly by Jordan Entrekin.

Corner was forced into the loser’s bracket after losing to Haleyville 6-1 in the second round. Taylor Sloan drove in the Jackets’ only run after Cruce tripled.

Corner then blanked Fayette County 9-0, in which Sloan was 4-4 with two doubles, two singles and two RBIs. Cruce was 3-for-3 with an RBI, and Leslie Blackmon drove in three runs.

McCormack threw a complete-game one-hitter, striking out eight.

The Jackets face fourth-ranked Cherokee County in the opening game of regional play, beginning at 9:30 a.m. Friday at Liberty Park.

The road to this weekend’s regional tournament was easy for Gardendale, as they breezed past Minor in a pair of wins, finishing with a 16-2 five-inning blowout in the final game Friday night.

The Rockets (22-16) got the big hit from Chelsey Deloney with a solo homer. Emilee Carter was 3-for-3 with a double and two RBIs. Sara Beth Williamson was also 2-for-3 and drove in three runs, Bragan Burns hit two doubles in three at-bats and scored on both, and Cris Gant was 2-for-3, driving in a run and scoring another.

Gant (11-9) pitched all five innings, striking out nine. She gave up two hits, one a solo homer by Kristian Alfano.

The Rockets open regional play against Hoover at 5 p.m. Friday afternoon.