Ardmore pitcher Casey Steadman winds up to throw during Friday’s victory over Elkmont. She not only went the distance on the mound to earn the win, she also drove in the game-winning run with a double.

Trailing in the bottom of the fifth inning 2-0 with two outs and two strikes, Aarika Boggs was looking for a change up from Elkmont’s Sarah Solomon.

The Ardmore star didn’t get that pitch, but it didn’t matter. She hit it anyway.

A single down the line scored two runs to tie the game in the opening round of the Limestone County Softball Tournament. A batter later, teammate Casey Steadman won the game with a double down the line to score Boggs. Ardmore went on to win 3-2.

“The pitch was a fastball and it was on the outside of the plate,” said Boggs. “I just went with the pitch.”

Ardmore advanced to play East Limestone in Friday night’s late game. In the other early game Friday, Tanner beat Clements 6-4 to advance to play the winner of the Athens Bible School-West Limestone game today in the double-elimination tournament.

Steadman was the winning pitcher for Ardmore, which improved to 21-16 on the season. Steadman, who is 13-9 on the mound this season, struck out nine and gave up three hits.

Emily Sutton started for Elkmont and pitched into the fifth inning when a two-out bunt by Jada Norton started the Ardmore rally. Kelsey Gilbert then hit a double to bring Boggs to the plate.

“I was looking for a pitch to drive,” said Steadman. “I got it and hit it down the line.”

She said in softball it is very important to keep key hitters off balance and that was what she was trying to do against Elkmont.

“This is a mental game as well as being physical,” she said. “Pitching and keeping the hitters off balance is very important.”

“It was big win for us because Elkmont beat us 1-0 Monday night,” said Ardmore coach Mark Thomas. “Elkmont has a good team and they are tough to beat.”

Thomas said the bunt single by Norton was not his idea.

“She has the green light any time she thinks she can bunt and get on,” he said. “The bunt she put down today was perfect.”

Sutton allowed five hits in four innings. She struck out four batters for Elkmont. Solomon came on in relief after Norton’s hit and Gilbert’s double. She allowed three hits.

Tanner 6,

Clements 4

Clements rallied from a 3-0 deficit, fell behind by three runs again and nearly put together another rally, but fell short as Tanner defeated the Lady Colts.

After giving up three runs to the Lady Rattlers in the seventh, the Clements offense was able to load the bases with one out in the bottom half of the inning. After a sacrifice fly to cut the lead to 6-4, Tanner pitcher Haley Keenum put the game away when she caught a line drive hit at her head.

“I wasn’t nervous,” Keenum said of the bases-loaded situation. “I knew the defense was behind me. We played well overall. They came back and tied it but we didn’t give up.”

With the score tied 3-3 entering the seventh, Hollye Keenum led off the inning with a single for Tanner. She stole second and scored on an Alex Bohanon double. Christen Stephens followed with a single to score Bohanon. China Sain drew a walk and Kayla Hayes singled to right field.

A base-running error led to the third run of the inning. Thinking Stephens would head home, Sain went to third on the Hayes single. The Clements defense got Sain in a pickle, but she was able to elude the pressure and returned safely to second. During the run down, Stephens scored from third.

“You always need luck on your side in a close game,” Tanner coach Mike Swanner said.

“It was a grudge match. We’ve played twice and we’ve each won. They have a good pitcher (Sally VanKirk), one of the best in the county. Seeing her a third time helped.”