How Holy Spirit softball won first AHSAA state championship
OXFORD – Holy Spirit softball defeated Skyline 3-1 in the AHSAA 1A state championship game Saturday to capture the program's first title.
It took three straight state appearances, but the Saints (39-10) finally broke through.
Holy Spirit junior UAB commit Alyssa Faircloth set the the tone, pitching three quick first inning outs. Faircloth put the offense on the same page with a leadoff single and scored on an Elaina Russell RBI single in the first inning.
Faircloth allowed just two hits and had 10 strikeouts. The game-winning run was a Russell fifth inning hit, scoring Claire Laubenthal.
Skyline (31-18) missed on two good opportunities. It left Audra Bellomy on third base in the fourth inning after she advanced with only one out. Faircloth retired the next two batters.
The Vikings scored its lone run in the sixth inning on a Brinlee Potts RBI-single, bringing home Ross. Potts was left stranded on third base as Holy Spirit didn't panic got the third out of the inning.
Holy Spirit left runners on base in the first five innings.
HOLY SPIRIT SOFTBALL: UAB commit Alyssa Faircloth pitches Holy Spirit softball to first AHSAA championship game
AHSAA STATE SOFTBALL: State tournament championship results for Alabama high school teams
Jerell Rushin is a recruiting reporter for the Tuscaloosa News and the USA TODAY Network. Reach him at jrushin@gannett.com and follow him on Twitter at @JerellRushin_.
This article originally appeared on The Tuscaloosa News: AHSAA softball championship: Holy Spirit beats Skyline for first title
