HUNTSVILLE - Cortny Williams delivered a go-ahead three-run double for Belgreen in a big fifth inning on Thursday at the North Regional Tournament, helping the Lady Bulldogs rally to beat Covenant Christian 7-3 and earn a spot in the regional championship game.
Kelsey Wilson added a late two-run homer for Belgreen, which will face Waterloo on Friday morning at 10:30 a.m. with a state tournament berth on the line.
The Lady Bulldogs, coming off a wild 12-11 win over Decatur Heritage earlier on Thursday, trailed Covenant 3-0 before an RBI single by Williams got them on the board in the bottom of the fourth. Emma Dempsey pitched around a one-out single in the top of the fifth, setting the stage for the decisive rally.
Bailey Wood was hit by a pitch to start the bottom of the fifth, and one out later Emmie Scott bunted for a hit. Another hit batter loaded the bases, and Wood scored when Katie Dempsey reached on a fielder's choice to cut the lead to 3-2.
With the bases still loaded, Williams smashed a ball past shortstop Lexie Gann and into left field. Scott, Sydney Borden and Dempsey all scored on the play, putting Belgreen on top 5-3.
Emma Dempsey worked around a hit and an error in the top of the sixth, getting a pop-up to strand runners at second and third. Wood walked to lead off the bottom of the inning, and then Wilson (a freshman batting ninth in the order) crushed a deep drive down the left-field line for a two-run bomb to make it 7-3.
Covenant got a single with one out in the top of the seventh, but Dempsey finished off her second complete game win of the day with a strikeout, punching Belgreen's ticket to the regional final.
In previous action:
Belgreen 12 Decatur Heritage 11
Katie Dempsey went 4-for-4 with a triple, two RBIs and three runs scored, helping the Lady Bulldogs out-slug Decatur Heritage in their opening game on Thursday morning at the Metro Kiwanis Sportsplex.
Emmie Scott, Emma Dempsey and Kelsey Wilson added two hits apiece for Belgreen, which led 6-1 before the Lady Eagles rallied with seven runs in the top of the fourth to take an 8-6 lead. The Lady Bulldogs came right back with two runs in the bottom of the inning to tie the game. Sydney Borden led off with a single to center, and Katie Dempsey beat out an infield hit on a groundball to short. Cortny Williams singled home Borden to cut the lead to 8-7, and then Dempsey scored the tying run on a steal of home.
Decatur Heritage scored a run to go back in front in the top of the fifth, but Belgreen tied it again with a run in the bottom half. Kelsey Wilson led off with a single to left, and Katie Dempsey later drove in the tying run with an infield single.
Dempsey made a nice sliding catch in shallow center field to start a one-two-three top of the sixth, and then the Lady Bulldogs took the lead for good with three runs in the bottom of the inning. Camie Terrell reached on an error, and Emma Dempsey broke the tie with a rope to right field for an RBI single. Kelsey Wilson and Emmie Scott each added RBI singles later in the inning, pushing the lead to 12-9.
Decatur Heritage didn't quit, scoring twice in the top of the seventh and getting the go-ahead run on base with two outs. Emma Dempsey finished off the complete game win, recording the final out on a groundball to Wood at third base.
Dempsey went the distance in the circle, allowing four earned runs on nine hits in seven innings. She struck out four and walked three.
The Lady Bulldogs finished with 15 hits, getting at least one from all nine starters. Terrell was 1-for-4 with a two-run double and two runs scored. Borden went 1-for-4 and scored twice.
