The season has come down to this with only four teams remaining. The first round of the postseason tournament Tuesday evening between unbeaten Mudbums and Edward Jones, which eliminated Southern Girls to cement its way into the postseason.
After playing at a championship level Mudbums was officially the first team Tuesday evening to advance to the girl’s 9-10 league championship game and defeated Edward Jones by a final score of 16-1 in three innings.
The offense for Edward Jones scored its only run in the first inning and it was downhill from that point on. Kennedi Pegg was hit by a pitch after the previous batter was called out on strikes. Pegg got the greenlight and stole second base while Brooklyn Cope was at the plate. Cope was also hit by a pitch for a free pass to first base. Pegg wasted no time and on the first passed ball she stole third. A walk by Alyssa Mosely loaded the bases for Edward Jones. The speedy Pegg did not hesitate and stole home on her first opportunity and Edward Jones led 1-0.
Halle LaForte was hit by a pitch and the bases were loaded for the second time. The Mudbums pitcher collected herself and blew the next two consecutive batters away on strikes for outs two and three to end the inning.
When it was Mudbums turn to bat, Danika Reno smashed a double and wasted no time and stole third after only a couple of pitches. Aleya Esparza was in the box and Esparza connected on a pitch and went deep over the defense for a triple and tied the game at 1-1. Esparza stole home and Mudbums took a 2-1 lead. Madelyn Powers and Allison Hudson drew a pair of walks. It was a frenzy of stolen bases for Mudbums. After out two, Ryleigh Rankin crushed a pitch in the gap for a triple and cleared the bases and Mudbums took a 4-1 lead. Kinslee Grissom, Molly Smith, and Halo Armstrong all drew walks and Rankin was the fifth run for Mudbums and ended the inning at 5-1.
In the top of the second for Edward Jones, back-to-back outs started the inning off, one of which was a strikeout. Jessica Young singled through a hole in the defense. Pegg drew a walk and Young advanced to second. Mudbums was throwing straight gas and collected another strikeout for the final out to end the inning.
In the bottom of the second, Reno started led off with a huge base hit to the fence that she legged out for a triple. Esparza drew a walk and continued to second without hesitation. Allison Hudson walked to first base in between a pair of strikeouts. Rankin blasted a line-drive up the middle and Mudbums took a 7-1. Grissom, Smith, and Armstrong all drew walks to advance runners around the bases. When the inning had ended Mudbums led 11-1.
Edward Jones started the third with a pair of outs. A pair of walks followed but a final strikeout ended the momentum just as it started to get going.
Mudbums continued its assault on Edward Jones in the bottom of the third. Powers, Hudson, and Emily Stoner each drew walks to load the bases. Rankin stepped to the plate and crushed a hit over the defense. It was deep enough that Rankin cleared the bases and scored for an inside-the-park grand slam. It was an exclamation point for Mudbums. Molly Smith was the final player to score in the inning.
Mudbums was the first team to claim a spot in Thursday's championship game, which wasn't completed at press time.