By: Railey Ayers

Eighth grade pitcher Reagan Lawrence did not allow a single hit in Monday’s game. The Crenshaw Christian Academy Lady Cougar softball team faced the East Memorial Christian Academy Lady Wildcats of Prattville in the first round of the Alabama Independent School Association softball state playoffs. The Lady Cougars emerged victorious over the Wildcats by a score of 15-0 in three innings.

The Cougars took the lead in the first inning, when freshman catcher and lead off batter Anna Lowe singled on the first pitch of the game. Senior shortstop Railey Ayers and senior second baseman Katlyn Gamble followed with a pair of singles to drive Lowe in to score.

After a scoreless second inning, the Cougars managed eight runs in the third. The big inning was credited to an error, and singles by sophomore center fielder Brittany Lester, sixth grade third baseman Abby Henderson and junior first baseman Abby Taylor.

Lawrence’s tenure on the mound was marked by seven strikeouts and one walk. She also allowed no hits and no runs scored.

In the four-inning game, the Cougars collected 17 hits. Lowe, Ayers, and Gamble all went 3-4 on the day. Taylor and freshman right fielder Becca Billings also added multiple hits in the shutdown.

The Cougars managed their fourth error-free game of the season. Lowe had the most tries in the field, contributing seven thrown outs from behind the plate.

With the victory, Crenshaw glided their way into the number two seed and successfully eliminated East Memorial. The win locked in the Lady Cougars’ berth in the state championship tournament on May 5 at Lagoon Park in Montgomery.

CCA’s softball team will take the field Friday, April 28 at 10 a.m. at Troy Sportsplex to face the top seed Chambers Academy Lady Rebels for seeding. Later that afternoon, if they take a loss to the Rebels, the Lady Cougars will face the Sparta Academy Lady Warriors of Evergreen, while a win earns them a game with the top-ranked Abbeville Christian Academy Generals.