Ardmore coach Stephan Baugh wanted his team to come out and dominate the opposition in the Limestone County softball tournament. He was not disappointed, as the Tigers won two games by a combined score of 20-2 to win its second consecutive tournament championship.

Ardmore defeated Elkmont 8-2 in the semifinals Friday night before a 12-0 victory in Saturday morning’s championship game.

The tournament was shortened from double-elimination to single-elimination, with the first round and semifinal games taking place Friday before Saturday morning’s championship game.

“We beat Hazel Green on Thursday, and I was afraid of an emotional letdown,” Baugh said. “We didn’t play too well (Friday) night, and I told them the laser focus they had on Thursday night, they needed to have (Saturday) morning. We came in and hit before we came out here (to the field) on what I thought they were going to pitch us, and that helped a lot. Everyone was disciplined at the plate.”

Ardmore scored five runs in the second inning to jump out on top, then added six runs in the third inning to put the game away early.

Sydnee Hall had a two-run home run, and L.B. Smith added a solo shot for the Tigers, while Olivia Stafford hit a two-run double in the third. Addison Hurst and Karla Hice also added doubles for Ardmore, and Reagan McNeill had two hits for the Tigers as well.

Hall was also dominant in the pitching circle, holding East Limestone to just one hit, a second-inning single by Mallory Jo Mitchell.

While there was a huge celebration after Ardmore won the tournament last season, this year the celebration was muted, as if the Tigers players expected to do what they did.

“Last year was the first year Ardmore had won the tournament in three or four years, so everybody was excited,” Baugh said. “This year, the expectations are larger. It’s a tournament, and we want to win the tournament and move on, because we’ve got to go day by day to get to where we want to go.”

Other results from the tournament are as follows:

Semifinal

Ardmore 8, Elkmont 2

Ardmore scored all eight of its runs in the fourth inning to break a scoreless tie and advance to the championship game of the tournament.

Olivia Stafford led the way for Ardmore with three hits and two RBIs, while Reagan McNeill, L.B. Smith, Madison Lewis and Karla Hice all had doubles. Addison Hurst also had two hits for the Tigers.

Brilee Miller had two hits for Elkmont, while Shelby Norman had a double and two RBIs.

Semifinal

East Limestone 4, West Limestone 0

Olivia Crouch pitched a complete-game shutout to lead East Limestone to a semifinal win over West Limestone. Crouch allowed just five hits and struck out nine batters in the victory.

The Indians scored two runs in the top of the first inning, and added single runs in the third and fifth innings to pull away.

Mallory Jo Mitchell had four hits and two RBIs, while Olivia Crouch had two hits and drove in two runs. Both Mitchell and Crouch also had doubles.

Reagan Clem and Allison Perry each had two hits for West Limestone.

First Round

East Limestone 15, Tanner 0

Dalen McWilliams hit a three-run home run and Maddison Watkins hit two doubles to lead East Limestone to a four-inning victory over Tanner.

McWilliams had four total RBIs, while Watkins finished with four hits and drove in two runs. Kayleigh Tribble had a hit and three RBIs, and Mallory Jo Mitchell had two hits, including a double.

Alyssa Tidwell was the winning pitcher, allowing three hits in four innings of work.

First Round

Elkmont 13, Clements 0

Malena Butler had four hits and five RBIs, while Haven Kirby hit a three-run home run to lead Clements to a first-round victory.

Kirby also had a double, while Hannah Usery had two doubles. Shelby Norman had three hits, including a double, while Abby Gooch had two hits for the Red Devils.

The score was just 2-0 before Elkmont scored five runs in the fifth and added six more in the sixth to pull away.

Malena Butler was the winning pitcher, allowing just one hit and striking out four. Averee King had a double for Clements.