Jordan, Corner and Fultondale all advance to state tourney

By Robert Carter

The North Jefferson News




The line of vehicles headed for Montgomery on Thursday and Friday may be so long, a parade permit may be required.

Three of the area’s four teams in AHSAA regional play have advanced to the state tournament at the capital city’s Lagoon Park this week, including defending Class 5A champion Mortimer Jordan, the 20th-ranked team in the USA Today national poll a prohibitive favorite to repeat as titlists.

Corner, the top-ranked team in Class 4A, also swept through its regional to advance to the state finals.

And in Class 2A, tenth-ranked Fultondale battled back from a loss to No. 4 Oakman. The Wildcats defeated No. 3 Ranburne 4-3 in the loser’s bracket finals Saturday to earn a trip to Montgomery.

Gardendale fell just short in the Class 6A regional, knocked out by Vestavia Hills 7-3 in the loser’s bracket semifinal.

Fultondale will start its state tournament play Thursday at 9 a.m. against Hale County. Win or lose, they will play again at 1:30 p.m.

Corner also plays at 9 a.m. against third-ranked Saks. They will also play their second game at 1:30 p.m. Play in both classes concludes Friday with finals at 4 p.m.

Class 5A play gets under way on Friday, with Jordan’s first-round game against Moody at noon. Their second game will be at 7 p.m. Play finishes Saturday at 5:30 p.m.

Here’s how the teams won their way to Montgomery…



CLASS 5A

It wasn’t even close.

Jordan lived up to its reputation, winning all four of its games in mercy-rule shutouts at Liberty Park.

Danae Hays was named the North Central Regional’s most valuable player after slamming four home runs. Two of those were inside-the-park jobs, one from each side of the plate. Granted, they were against a weak Woodlawn team and came in a field with fences 25 feet farther back than usual, but her baserunning speed on both put her at home plate well before the Colonels fielders got the ball back to the infield.

The Blue Devils dispatched Woodlawn 17-0, actually giving up outs by intentionally having runners leave base early.

They then defeated Cullman 10-0 and No. 4 Springville 15-0 on Saturday. In the finals, they again routed Cullman 10-0 in a game delayed until Monday by rain.

Heather Parker threw a perfect game against Woodlawn, striking out 14 out of 15 batters. She also got the win against Springville, and hit a home run.

Blair Johnson won both of the Cullman shutouts, giving up just three hits in the final game.

Jordan faces Moody in the first round of the state tournament Friday. A win puts them into a game against eight No. 2 Rehobeth or No. 3 Hartselle that evening.



CLASS 4A

The Yellow Jackets’ trail to the state finals was a little tougher.

After blowing out Holtville 10-0 in the opening round, Corner had to come from behind to edge Bibb County 2-1. Heather Anderson tied the game in the bottom of the sixth when her single drove home Jennifer Tolbert, then Mandy Slatton’s double scored Anderson with the winning run.

Anderson was the starting pitcher, going five innings and striking out 11. Kortney Sloan pitched two innings of relief, fanning five.

Corner’s battle royal with American Christian went an extra inning, when Preslie Cruce hit a one-out double, then Shannon Tolbert’s walk-off double put Corner into the state championship.

Sloan, who was named the tournament MVP, went six innings as the starter with nine strikeouts.

In the finals, both teams rested their aces since both ACA and Corner had their state tournament bids in hand. Anderson went 4-for-4 with a solo homer and Sloan hit two doubles as the Jackets prevailed 12-6.

Corner takes on Saks in Thursday’s opener at 9 a.m.



CLASS 2A

Fultondale had to beat both the odds and the weather to secure its state berth.

Cadi Oliver’s bases-clearing double to the right field fence, followed by an RBI single by Haley Hill, gave the Wildcats a 4-0 win over Lamar County to open the regionals.

The Cats then took a 3-1 over Geraldine, but were defeated by fourth-ranked Oakman 3-1.

In the loser’s bracket final, Fultondale beat No. 3 Ranburne 4-3 just before storms ended play for the day. Monday they ousted Oakman 5-1 to force a third game, but Oakman won the deciding game 2-0 to take the title.