OXFORD, Ala. (WDHN) —The Houston Academy Lady Raiders were in North Alabama on Saturday competing for a chance to win a state championship in Class 4A.

They walked into the day having to win three straight to hoist the blue map.

The first game of the day matched them against Brooks.

In the top of the fourth inning, HA would add to their lead after an Emily Adams double scores Jadyn Rausch to put the Raiders up 4-2. In the bottom half of the fourth inning, it would be HA’s defense, as Ansleigh Smith throws out a Brooks runner trying to steal second base.

HA would also add on more insurance runs as Molly Magrino would line one just past the first base bag, scoring Smith from second base to make the score 5-2.

In the fifth inning, Rausch would single, which would score to Lady Raiders to make the score 9-2.

To end the game in the seventh inning, Adams gets a batter to pop up over to the right and Magrino would make a heck of a catch to end the game. With the win, Houston Academy would advance to the championship game to face Orange Beach.

In that game against Orange Beach, leadoff hitter Mary Suzan Aman puts it right through the center of the infield for a hit and she would later advance to third, but HA would be unable to capitalize as Braya Hodges grounded out to end the inning.

From there it was all Orange Beach as the Makos would single in the bottom of the first and would be able to bring home a runner to take a 1-0 lead. In the second inning, the Makos would add to the lead with a one-out triple, which scored a run from third to make the score 2-0. Adams for the Raiders came in to pitch and helped the Raiders escape a bases-loaded jam by getting a big strikeout. Makos led the Raiders 3-0 through the first two innings of play.

HA falls 5-0 to Orange Beach in the final.

The following players were named to the All-Tournament Team:

  • Emily Adams
  • Mary Suzan Aman
  • Ansleigh Smith
Pictured here are Adams, Aman, Smith, and Head Coach Sharon Cherry

Raiders take home a red map and Head Coach Sharon Cherry was proud of how far her team went this year.

“I feel really good,” Cherry said. “It was so sad to look at my little girls with their sad faces, but I told them earlier, ‘You have to feel the pain of defeat to make the victories feel sweet.”‘

HA’s runner-up team has no seniors on it, so if it all goes to plan next year, they could very well bring another blue map home to Dothan next year.