OXFORD – Strong pitching and defense carried Houston Academy in its first two games Friday at the AHSAA Class 4A State Softball Championships at Choccolocco Park.
The Raiders edged Cherokee County 2-1 and Northside of Northport 2-0 to reach the winners’ bracket finals against Orange Beach Friday night in a rematch of last week’s South Regional Tournament final won by HA 1-0. The two teams are returning state champions from last year – Houston Academy in 3A and Orange Beach in 2A.The winner advances to Saturday’s state championship game, tentatively set for 5 p.m.
In the opening win over Cherokee County, Adams and Hodges combined on 14 strikeouts and allowed only three hits. In the second-game win over Northside, the two combined on a three-hit shutout with 12 strikeouts. “It is nice to have her back,” Cherry said. “I am proud of our two ninth graders that earned 35 wins while Braya was out and rehabbing. It is definitely a team effort, but it is nice to have Braya out there for sure.”
Houston Academy put two runners on base in the second, fourth and fifth innings and one on in the third, but couldn’t get the clutch hit to drive in a run. Houston Academy 2, Cherokee County 1: Mary Suzan Aman’s two-run, inside-the-park homer was enough thanks to the stellar pitching of Braya Hodges.
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