MONTGOMERY — Four teams remain in the AHSAA Class 4A state softball tournament at Montgomery’s Lagoon Park. 

Starting play on Friday morning in the winner’s bracket will be third-ranked Alabama Christian Academy and second-ranked Dallas County. Alabama Christian was the South Regional champion while Dallas County was crowned the South Central Region champion. Alabama Christian Academy and Dallas County fire their first pitch at 9 a.m.   

The two teams remaining in contention in the loser’s bracket are Cherokee County and Ardmore. The fourth-ranked Lady Warriors (42-11) captured the North Central Regional Championship, while fifth-ranked Ardmore was the runner-up out of the North Region. Ardmore won the 2010 Class 4A title by defeating Alabama Christian Academy.   Cherokee County and Ardmore take the field at 10:30 a.m.  The loser of that game is eliminated and the winner meets the loser of the Alabama Christian Academy/Dallas County game.   

In the opening game of the tournament the Warriors cruised past Dadeville 7-1. In that game Cherokee County jumped out to a 1-0 advantage after an inning of play and pushed across another run in the second inning to gain a 2-0 advantage. One more run in the third made it a 3-0 Warrior lead.  Cherokee County added three in the fourth to take a commanding 6-0 advantage.  Dadeville would get on the scoreboard in the fifth inning with the Warriors matching with a tally of their own to make it 7-1.  Neither team would score in the final two innings.  Kaitlyn Griffith collected two hits, including a double, and scored three runs.    

The Warriors suffered a 9-8 setback to ACA in round two. In that game the fourth-ranked Warriors fell behind 2-0 at the end of the first inning of play and trailed 4-0 by the end of the third. In the fifth inning the Warriors caught fire and pushed five runs across the plate.  It started when Griffith doubled to bring in Audra Bradley and Darbie Rosser.  Madison Millsaps then delivered a single base shot, followed by a two base hit by Lauren Millsaps that drove in two runs. Lauren would scored on a Molly Brewers single but ACA maintained a 6-5 advantage. In the sixth inning Cherokee County scored three more to ACA’s two to knot the game at 8-8. The Lady Warriors picked up two of the three runs as Lauren Millsaps blasted another double that plated two RBI’s. Candace Blanchard then singled Millsaps home. ACA picked up the game winner in the final inning and locked up the 9-8 victory.   

In their third game of the day the Warriors faced Central-Florence. Cherokee County pounced on Central and secured a 3-0 first inning lead. The score would hold steady until the sixth inning when the Warriors added three more runs for insurance and took complete control 6-0. A final run in the seventh made the tally 7-0.    

Regional MVP Lauren Millsaps earned the win, surrendering only four hits, while going the distance in the circle. Millsaps remained hot at the plate with two hits, two runs, an RBI and a stolen base. Kaitlyn Griffith scored twice on one hit and swiped two bases.  Madison Millsaps, Candace Blanchard, Molly Brewer, Tori Davis and Cayla Machleit all joined the Warrior hit parade, with Machleit delivering two RBI’s for Cherokee County. 

Cherokee County claimed the North-Central Regional championship last week in dominating fashion. Cherokee County beat Corner 11-5 in the opening round before shutting out St. Clair County 7-0. The Warriors then beat No. 6 Springville 4-2 before dismantling No. 9 Haleyville 10-0 in the championship. 

This is the second straight season the Warriors have reached the state tournament as North-Central Regional champions.