Straughn falls in Class 3A state finals

MONTGOMERY — For the second straight year, the Straughn Tigers are state runner-ups.

The Tigers, as they did in 2008, battled back from the losers’ bracket to reach the finals only to fall short.

West Morgan and star pitcher Lauren Seibert were too much, holding off Straughn 2-0 in the Class 3A state championship at Lagoon Park.

Straughn won three straight losers’ bracket games in the day to make the finals. The Tigers, who finished 36-10, beat Dadeville 4-3, Pisgah 1-0 and Sumiton Christian 3-0.

“You say what you want to about them, but one thing you can’t say is they don’t have heart,” Straughn head coach Ray Wilson said. “That is two years in a row they have fought back through the losers’ bracket. I am proud of them.”

Seibert, though, was too tough. The senior, the tournament MVP, recorded shutouts in all four games and struck out 47 in 25 innings.

Against Straughn, she struck out 14 and allowed only five hits.

“She is an excellent pitcher,” Wilson said.

The Tigers had two scoring chances against Seibert but couldn’t get the key hit.

After two strikeouts in the first, Kayla Messer and Katy Messick both singled, but Seibert got a strikeout to end the inning.

With one out in the third, Stephanie Bracewell doubled. After a strikeout, Messer hit a shot off the shortstop which she legged out to second for a double. Bracewell stayed at third with the ball not too far away from the shortstop.

Katy Messick then flied out to right field to end the inning.

“She hit it hard to right field, right at the right fielder,” Wilson said. “If that ball is a little more to the left, it is in the gap for a double, but that is part of the game.”

West Morgan scored in the third and the fifth. In the third, Delissa Tidwell walked and moved to second and third on two wild pitches. A throw from the catcher after the second wild pitch ended up in left field and Tidwell scored.

In the fifth, Jamie Rohr singled home Hannah Harris, who doubled to open the inning.

Messer and Messick both went 2-for-3 for Straughn.

Kaitlynn Wiggins, despite a gutty performance in pitching 25 innings on Saturday, took the loss. She allowed five hits and struck out 11.

Rachel Harbin was 2-for-3 for West Morgan.

Wiggins, Messer and Bracewell were all named to the all-tournament team.

Rohr, Whitlee Potter and Hayden Hamby joined Seibert as Rebel representatives on the all-tournament team.

Straughn 3, Sumiton Christian 0: Wiggins pitched a four-hit shutout with six strikeouts.

Straughn got single runs in the first, third and fifth innings.

In the first, Wiggins was at third when Messick bunted. The catcher tried to catch Wiggins too far off third, but the throw ended up in left field and Wiggins scored.

Sacrifice flies by Messick and Megan Johns delivered in the other runs.

Wiggins, Messer and Johns all had two hits for Straughn.

Straughn 4, Pisgah 1: The Tiger offense exploded with six hits and four runs in the third to break a scoreless tie, pacing the win.

The outcome knocked out Pisgah and avenged last year’s state finals’ loss to the Eagles.

Messer hit an RBI triple to deep right in the third, scoring Wiggins to make it 1-0.

Messick, Tori Bracewell, Kayla Teel and Tiffany Taylor all followed with singles with Messick driving in one and Taylor two runs to make it 4-0.

Pisgah scored in the seventh, but could do no more damage.

Wiggins picked up the win, allowing five hits and an unearned run. She struck out seven.

Messer went 3-for-4 to pace Straughn, which had 10 hits. Wiggins and Messick added two hits each.

Straughn 4, Dadeville 3: Straughn scored two runs in the bottom of the sixth inning to rally past Dadeville.

The Tigers loaded the bases with two walks and a single, then a passed ball scored Tori Bracewell. Kelli Wilcox followed by hitting a bouncer up the middle that Dadeville pitcher Nicole Price could not handle, and Teel scored, putting Straughn up 4-3.

Wiggins then retired Dadeville in order in the seventh, recording two strikeouts.

The winning Tigers scored two in the fourth to go up 2-0. Dadeville tied it fifth.

Dadeville took a 3-2 lead with a run in the top of the sixth.

Teel had two of Straughn’s six hits. Wiggins picked up the win in relief.