MONTGOMERY—The third-ranked Gardendale softball team is heading to the winners’ bracket of the State Tournament at Lagoon Park in Montgomery.

The Class 6A North-Central Regional champions came from behind to top No. 4 Helena (28-18-1) in the first game on Wednesday. Gardendale (42-14-1) scored two runs in the fifth to snag its first lead at 3-2, and held strong on the defensive side.

In a 2-1 hole, Rocket outfielder Abigail Waters reached first base on strike out, passed ball and worked her way around the bags to score on a Savannah Pennington sacrifice bunt. Carlee McCondichie then slapped a chopper up the middle, which slipped through the glove of the second baseman and scored the go-ahead run of the game.

McCondichie slid across the plate in the bottom-half of the first inning on a passed ball. She started the frame with a two-bagger down the left side and later evened things up at 1-1.

On the defensive end, Gardendale stood tall in the toughest of situations. The Rockets stranded nine Huskies on base, including two in scoring position in the top of the seventh as they clung to a one-run lead.

Right-hander Kaitlyn Clark worked the first six innings on the rubber. She allowed six hits and two runs while forcing 10 groundouts in the win. Her only slip-ups came in the first and third innings when Mackenzie Wilson drove an RBI to left field, followed by a Mekhi Mayfield solo blast in the third.

Head coach Barry Brake called on Rockets’ freshman Preslie Ross to close the game. Ross took the ball with a 3-2 lead in the seventh, and worked through the top of Helena’s order to complete the save. Ross forced two consecutive flyouts with the equalizer on third and the go-ahead on second.

For Gardendale, Pennington and McCondichie both bumped in runs. Karlee Mayfield, Chaney Phillips, Sarah Beth Brake and Waters each singled for the Rockets.

Erik Harris is the Sports Editor of The North Jefferson News. Email him at njnsports@gmail.com or follow him on Twitter @jeharris2.