Softball Recap: Shades Valley Triumphs

Shades Valley proved they can win big last Thursday (they won by 16) and on Tuesday they proved they can win the close ones too. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with an 11-10 win over the Clay-Chalkville Cougars. For the Mounties, this counts as revenge for the 8-6 victory the Cougars walked away with the last time they faced one another back in March of 2024.

Jenna Paxton

Batters Struck Out

03/11/25 vs Clay-Chalkville	7
03/06/25 vs Minor	7
03/03/25 @ Ramsay	11
02/27/25 vs Fultondale	8
02/18/25 @ Pinson Valley	11

Jenna Paxton was a major factor no matter where she played. On the mound, she struck out seven batters over seven innings while giving up five earned (and five unearned) runs off six hits. She has been consistent : she hasn't tossed less than seven strikeouts any time she's pitched this season. She was also solid in the batter's box, scoring two runs and stealing Two bases. while getting on base in two of her four plate appearances.

In other batting news, the team relied heavily on Ja'Miah Eaton, who went a perfect 3-for-3 with two stolen bases, four RBI, and two runs. She also put up two doubles, which were her first of the season. Another player making a difference was Gigi Escobar, who scored a run and stole a base while going 2-for-4.

Shades Valley kept the outfield on their toes and finished the game with 11 hits. That's the most hits they've posted since the start of last season.

Shades Valley pushed their record up to 4-1 with the win, which was their third straight at home. Those victories came thanks in part to their hitting performance across that stretch, as they averaged 17.0 runs over those games. As for Clay-Chalkville, the loss was their first on the road , dropping their record down to 5-2-1.

Looking ahead, Shades Valley will be playing in front of their home fans against Woodlawn at 5:00 p.m. on Thursday. Woodlawn has struggled to contain batters this season (they've allowed eight runs per game on average), something Shades Valley will no doubt try to take advantage of. As for Clay-Chalkville, they will head out on the road to challenge Montevallo at 5:00 p.m. on Wednesday.