Mortimer Jordan softball coaches Shawn Maze and Stephen Manning embrace following a 9-3 win over Hayden, which earned the Blue Devils a berth in the state tournament. 

For the first time since 2012 the Mortimer Jordan softball team has qualified for the state tournament.

A dramatic 9-3 win over No. 2 Hayden locked the eighth-ranked Blue Devils into the Class 5A bracket in Montgomery, where they open play on Wednesday morning in Lagoon Park.

“I’m just very proud of these young ladies. Some young kids had to step up in some big situations but they’ve been in the win-or-go-home situation twice all ready this year and have stepped up both times,” said Mortimer Jordan head coach Shawn Maze.

Following a 3-0 loss to top-ranked Springville earlier in the day, Mortimer Jordan bounced back with a demoralizing seven-run sixth innings against the Wildcats in the North-Central No. 2 qualifier game.

The Blue Devils sent 11 batters to the plate to record seven runs on five hits in the top of the sixth, as they erased a one-run deficit and charged on to a 9-3 advantage. Senior Morgan Maze started the frame with a bouncing two-bagger down the chalk in right field—her first of two doubles in the inning. She ran home on an RBI grounder from Danilyn Moore to even things up at 3-all.

Baleigh Overton and Savannah Chaviers later drove in three more runs for Mortimer Jordan with back to back infield singles. Two Hayden errors aided their efforts in the sixth.

The six-run lead would be more than enough for sophomore Madi Maze, who earned the win with a complete game pitched. She surrendered seven hits and struck out three Wildcats in seven innings. She retired six of the final nine batters she faced after accepting the 9-3 lead.

With its season on the line, Mortimer Jordan started fast thanks to Moore. The center fielder tripled into the right-center field gap to score pinch runner Dallas Brewer from first. She extended the lead to two runs on a Anna Purvis chopper to second. Moore finished 2 for 4 with a pair of RBIs and mentioned that she put in extra work on her offensive game prior to the tournament.

“She has grown up a ton since she got here,” said Shawn Maze of Moore. “She’s always had a great swing and she’s just locked in, finally seeing it and hitting the top-half.”

Hayden sent one run around in the bottom of the first and took their only lead with a two-run fifth.

Shawn coached the Blue Devils into the state tournament last in 2012, when his girls finished as the Class 5A runner-up.

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