For the first time in school history, the Red Level Lady Tigers earned a spot in the AHSAA Class 1A South Regional in Gulf Shores with a runner-up finish in the Area 3 championship Tuesday in Pleasant Home.

 

RED LEVEL 22, 

MCKENZIE 11

The Red Level Lady Tigers jumped out front of McKenzie in the opening game of the tournament and cruised to a 22-11 victory.

Maggie Wilkerson scored the first run of the game for the Lady Tigers when she crossed the plate after an error off the bat of Gracie Lee.

Marianna Vigor then scored on a passed ball to put the Lady Tigers on top 2-0.

Hannah Colvin increased the lead with single that scored Lee.

One run then scored off an error and two more scored of bases loaded walks to give Red Level a 6-0 lead.

McKenzie battled back and tied the game in the bottom of the second inning.

The Lady Tigers answered right back with a five-run top of the third to give them an 11-6 lead.

Tori Hall tripled in the top of the fourth inning to drive in Meredith Nall for a 12-6 lead.

An inside-the-park home run, from Ashlyn Joryner then put the Lady Tigers on top 17-6.

Red Level added five more runs in the top of the sixth inning to go on top 22-11.

Nall had big game at the plate going 2-for-4 with three RBIs, three runs scored and two walks.

Joyner led the way for the Lady Tigers going 2-for-3 with five RBIs and two runs scored in the victory.

Vigor picked up three RBIs and scored two runs in the win.

Wilkerson, Hall and Colvin each drove in two runs and Gracie Richards drove in one.

 

RED LEVEL 18, 

MCKENZIE 13

In the first elimination game of the day, the Red Level Lady Tigers fought back from 11-0 deficit to take an 18-13 victory over McKenzie.

Down 11-0 in the bottom of the third inning, the Lady Tigers began to chip away when Vigor and Joyner scored off an error.

In the bottom of the fourth inning, Joyner then drove in Olivia Whitefield with a single.

Nall was then hit by a pitch to load the bases with two outs.

Colvin followed by lacing a triple to right field that scored Vigor, Joyner and Nall to cut McKenzie’s lead to 11-6 heading into the fifth inning.

In the bottom of the sixth inning, Red Level plated 12 runs to go on top 18-13.

A single from Nall scored Alexis Perdue to get things going for the Lady Tigers.

Colvin followed with a run-scoring double.

A few batters later, Joyner ripped a double over the head of the left fielder that scored Madison Dunsford and Perdue to put Red Level on top 14-13.

As the Lady Tigers batted around, Colvin ripped another single that scored Vigor and Joyner.

Colvin and Nall then scored a double from Wilkerson to put the Lady Tigers up 18-13.

“During the regular season, we blew some games that we didn’t finish,” Red Level head coach Allen Catrett said. “Tonight, we fought hard through some nerves and finished the game. At the beginning of this year, nobody was giving this group a shot to make it to Regionals, but I knew we had something here. I’m very proud of these girls for fighting back and holding on for the win.”

Colvin led the way for the Lady Tigers going 4-for-4 with six RBIs in the victory.

Joyner, Nall and Wilkerson drove in three runs each.

Whitefield, Perdue and Vigor finished the game with one RBI each.

The Red Level Lady Tigers now advance to the Class 1A South Regional Tournament in Gulf Shores beginning May 12.