Nine hits, including three home runs, and a stellar pitching performance by Emily Simon sealed a 5-1 victory for the Athens Golden Eagles Thursday over the Hartselle Tigers in the second Regional Championship game. The victory avenged an 7-5 loss to the Tigers the previous night and sends Athens to next week’s state championship in Oxford.

Lilli Cain put the Golden Eagles up 1-0 in the top of the second on an infield single that she narrowly beat out at first, scoring courtesy runner Carly Ennis in for Anna Carder.

Athens added three more runs in the fourth, all coming by way of the long ball. Jordyn Johnson led off the inning with a solo home run over the left field fence. Four batters later, Morgan Stiles launched a two-run shot over the left field fence to give Athens a 4-0 lead.

Hartselle scored their lone run in the bottom of the sixth on a single from Karsi Lentz. With two outs in the seventh, Emily Simon came up to bat and hit a no doubt, solo home run to straight away center field increasing the lead back up to four and ultimately a victory of 5-1.

“We kept thinking Harstelle’s got our number, but somehow we pushed through and got some timely hits,” Athens head softball coach Thad Prater said. “Our players played well and that’s all you can ask for. I’m really proud of them.”

Emily Simon pitched seven innings giving up four hits, one run (unearned), two walks with four strikeouts.

Wednesday’s results

Athens 14, Fort Payne Wildcats 6

Athens scored 14 runs on 17 hits in Friday’s opener of the regional tournament. Jordyn Johnson went 1-for-3 with a three run, line drive home run in the bottom of the fifth over the center field fence. That was one of two home runs in the game by the Golden Eagles. Stiles went 2-for-4 with a two run homer to right field. Molly Gilbert had two hits with one RBI. Emily Simon went 3-for-4 with her one RBI coming on a line drive single to center field. Emily was not the only Simon to tally three hits as Katie Simon also went 3-for-4 with one RBI. Haley Waggoner had two hits with two RBIs, which both came on a two-run single to right field in the bottom of the sixth. Lilli Cain had two hits. Abby Tucker had one hit with one RBI and Anna Carder went 1-for-3 with one RBI.

Hartselle 7, Athens 5

Athens got out to a 4-0 lead in the first before the Tigers tied things up at 4-4 in the top of the third. Hartselle went on to score one run in each of the last three innings to seal the victory. Stiles went 1-for-3 with a solo home run over the center field fence in the top of the fifth. Katie Simon went 1-for-3 with an RBI double in the first. Carder and Waggoner each had RBI singles.

Thursday results

Athens 10, Scottsboro Wildcats 5

The Golden Eagles put up 10 runs on 13 hits. Waggoner went 2-for-4 with a pair of two run home runs. Stiles continued her home run streak with a two hit (one home run), three RBI game. Carder went 3-for-4 including two doubles with one RBI. Molly Gilbert had two hits while Cain, Johnson, Katie Simon and Zimmerman each had one.

Athens 19, Cullman Bearcats 4

The Golden Eagles had 18 hits in just four innings. The top three in the batting order, Stiles, Gilbert and Emily Simon all had had three RBIs. Stiles had two doubles and a single, Gilbert had two singles and Emily Simon had a pair of home runs. Katie Simon and Brenin Ezell each had one hit. Waggoner raised her four RBI game against Scottsboro to a five RBI game against Cullman going 3-for-3 including two doubles. Johnson went 2-for-4 with four RBIs.