The Calera Eagles will face off against the Jasper Vikings at 4:30 p.m. on Friday. Jasper took a loss in their last game and will be looking to turn the tables on Calera, who comes in off a win.
Calera took a loss when they played away from home on Monday, but their home fans gave them all the motivation they needed on Tuesday. They sure made it a nail-biter, but they managed to escape with a 10-8 win over McAdory. Considering the Eagles' hitters had been struggling lately, the high-scoring outing was a much-needed turnaround.
Lily Townsend made a big impact no matter where she played. She looked comfortable on the mound, pitching seven innings while giving up just two earned (and six unearned) runs off ten hits. Townsend was also solid in the batter's box, going 1-for-3 with one double and one RBI.
In other batting news, Kinley Rodgers and Isabelle Overton did most of the damage at the plate: Rodgers went a perfect 4-for-4 with three runs, one stolen base, and two RBI, while Overton went 3-for-4 with one home run, three runs, and one double. That's the most hits Rodgers has posted since back in March of 2024. Neeley Carstensen was another key player, going 3-for-4 with three RBI.
Meanwhile, Jasper was not able to break out of their rough patch on Monday as the team picked up their fourth straight defeat. They were two runs away from ending the streak, but they lost a 10-8 heartbreaker at the hands of Winfield. For those keeping track at home, that's the closest loss the Vikings have suffered since February 27th.
Emersyn Haney and Lexi Kilgore did some serious damage despite the final result: Haney went a perfect 3-for-3 with two runs, one triple, and two RBI, while Kilgore went 2-for-4 with one home run, two runs, and two RBI. Another player making a difference was America Montgomery, who went 2-for-4 with one stolen base, one run, and one RBI.
Calera's victory was their fourth straight at home, which pushed their record up to 7-18. They've had to fight for that success though, as they only beat their opponents by an average of 1.5 runs across that stretch. As for Jasper, their defeat dropped their record down to 18-13.
Calera suffered a grim 11-1 defeat to Jasper when the teams last played back in March of 2019. Will the Eagles have more luck at home instead of on the road? Check MaxPreps after the action for a full breakdown of the game and more softball content.
