The Ardmore softball team poses with the Class 5A North Regional tournament championship trophy after the Tigers defeated Sardis 4-0 in the championship game Monday. Ardmore advances to the state tournament in Montgomery, where it will begin play Thursday.

FLORENCE — Ardmore softball coach Stephen Baugh has been a little concerned with the lack of hitting production from his team at times this year. But when you have a pitcher like Sydney Hall, you don’t need to score that many runs to have success.

Hall completed a great weekend with a dominant pitching performance in the Class 5A North Regional tournament championship game. She pitched a no-hitter and struck out 14 batters in leading the Tigers to a 4-0 win over Sardis.

With the win, Ardmore advanced to the Class 5A state tournament in Montgomery as the North Regional top seed. It’s the third straight year the Tigers have advanced to state.

“Getting there three straight years is a testament to the work we put in,” Baugh said. “We work hard, but hopefully we’re not finished. Hopefully we’re not satisfied, and we’ve still got some work to do.”

The championship game actually began Saturday morning, but it was suspended in the second inning due to rain. Field conditions deteriorated to the point where the tournament could not resume Saturday, so it was pushed to Monday, where sunny skies greeted the players.

Hall said she was relieved the game was suspended, as she was having trouble controlling her pitches in Saturday’s wet weather.

“It was very difficult pitching in the rain,” Hall said. “I could barely grip the ball. By the time I would pitch it and (the catcher) would throw it back, it would be wet again. I was glad they decided to stop the game.”

Ardmore was ahead 2-0 when the game was stopped Saturday, as the Tigers scored two runs in the bottom of the first on RBI doubles by Madelyn Hodges and L.B. Smith.

The game resumed Monday in the top of the second inning with two outs and a runner on base. Hall set the tone for the day when she struck out the first batter she faced to end the second inning.

She got herself in a little bit of trouble in the third inning by walking two batters but got a fly out and a strikeout to end the inning. She then didn’t allow another Sardis batter to reach base, retiring the final 14 batters of the game in order.

“It’s fortunate we’ve got a pitcher like her,” Baugh said. “And we’ve got eight (defenders) who back her up well. That’s huge, but we need to give her a little more (run) support. That would make me feel a little better.”

Ardmore gave Hall all the support she would need by adding two more runs in the bottom of the third inning. Karla Hice drove in the first run of the inning with a double, and the second run of the inning scored on a wild pitch.

Hice was the only Ardmore player with multiple hits. Hice, Hodges and Smith each had doubles, while Bo Riley had a single for the Tigers.

Baugh told his team he doesn’t expect them to be satisfied with just making it back to the state tournament, and to show the team it still has work to do, he scheduled a practice for Monday afternoon when the team got back to school.

“It’s not punishment, it’s just I know if we don’t score more than four runs in Montgomery, we’re not going to be there very long,” Baugh said. “I don’t know if we can get it all figured out in two days, but we’re going to try.”

Hall said Ardmore’s third time in the state tournament should be the best one yet. The Tigers were eliminated in their third game in Montgomery last season.

“I think last year we were satisfied just to make it down there,” Hall said. “I feel going back down there this year, we’re not satisfied until we bring home the big blue (trophy).”