Prep Softball Roundup: Athens’s Katie Simon no-hits Lauderdale County

Published 11:30 am Wednesday, April 21, 2021

In baseball and softball, a perfect game is when no batter from the opposing team reaches first base whether that’s via a hit, error, walk or a hit by pitch. Athens Golden Eagles softball pitcher Katie Simon was one walk away from accomplishing her second perfect game in a span of four days.

Athens scored 11 runs on 15 hits and with Simon pitching a five inning, complete game, no-hitter with nine strikeouts. It was pretty close to a perfect game for the Golden Eagles Tuesday as they defeated the Lauderdale County Tigers 11-0 at Lauderdale County High School. This was Katie Simon’s fourth complete game no-hitter of the season, totaling eight no-hitters on the year for the Golden Eagles. 

The Golden Eagles put four runs on the board in the first inning. Morgan Stiles led off the game with a double. She was moved over to third on a sacrifice bunt by Molly Gilbert. Emily Simon followed that up with an RBI double scoring Stiles. After a walk was issued to Haley Waggoner, Anna Carder hit a three-run home run on a line drive over the center field fence.

The Golden Eagles did put some hits on the board the next few innings, but it wasn’t until the top of the fifth the Golden Eagles added to their lead in a big way. Back to back solo home runs by Waggoner and Carder, her second of the game, got things going for Athens. Following that display of power hitting, Katie Simon singled and Jordyn Johnson walked before setting up Abby Tucker and Lili Cain who both bunted for RBI singles. The ninth run came into score on an error by the Tigers in Gilbert’s at-bat. Emily Simon hit an RBI groundout before Waggoner added her second hit and second RBI of the game with a double, bringing the final score to 11-0.

Carder and Katie Simon led the team with three hits apiece. Carder finished 3-for-4 with two home runs and four RBIs. Katie Simon went 3-for-3. Stiles, Waggoner, and Cain each had multiple hits in the game. Waggoner finished with two RBIs with her home run and double, while Cain had one RBI. Emily Simon went 1-for-4 with two RBIs. Tucker and Gilbert each had one hit and one RBI.

“We seemed ready to play with everyone doing their part,” Athens head coach Thad Prater said. “Anna Carder hitting a three-run home run in the first inning was big as was putting up six in the top of the fifth. Overall, it was a good team effort.”

West Limestone Wildcats 13, Elkmont Red Devils 3

The Wildcats put up 13 runs on 14 hits in their 13-3 defeat of the Elkmont Red Devils Tuesday. The three and four hitters in the lineup, Lilly Bethune and Allison Perry each had four RBIs. Perry went 3-for-5 with two home runs. Bethune finished with two hits in five plate appearances. Addison Wallace went 1-for-3 with two RBIs. Luisa Brown went 3-for-5 with one RBI. Isabella Birdsong and Juliann Kyle each had one hit. Amileah Flannagan had two hits in her three trips to the plate. Tori Carroll added one hit.

Elkmont had six hits with Abbie Broadway leading the way going 2-for-3 with two RBIs. Tylee Thomas, Ella Beddingfield and Emeril Hand had one hit. Savannah Williams went 1-for-3 with an RBI double.

Lindsay Lane Christian Lions 19, Shoals Christian Flame 4

LLCA dominated from start to finish in their blowout of Shoals Christian. The Lions scored in every inning with the game ending at the end of the fourth. They finished with 19 runs on 17 hits. Lydia Carter and Lily Jackson both had three hits with three RBIs. Haley Grace Waltman, Ava Whitmire and Alison Bates all had multiple hit games. Waltman and Bates added two RBIs each to their totals while Whitmire had one. Kara Williams and Cara Glass each had one RBI to go along with their one hit. Briley Miller went 2-for-2 with one RBI. Macy Smith had one hit while Katelyn Davis had two walks with two RBIs.