By BAKER ELLIS / Sports Editor

CALERA – In a March 21 tournament hosted by Calera High School, the Lady Eagles went 1-2 in the tournament, doubling their season loss total to four. Both losses came against Tuscaloosa based American Christian Academy while the sole win on the day came against Briarwood.

Game 1. American Christian 7 – Calera 1

Calera’s Ashlynn Hamm squared off against Hailey Olsen from American Christian in the first game of the day in a pitcher’s duel. Olsen held the often-potent Calera bats to just three hits and one run, which came on a solo home run via Somer Roberson in the third inning. Hamm threw 96 pitches in five innings of work compared to Olsen’s 77-pitch, six inning effort. The Lady Patriots scored four runs in the first two innings and kept Calera at bay the rest of the way.

Game 2. Calera 5 – Briarwood 2

Emily Sanders followed Hamm’s lead from the first game with a complete-game, six-inning effort in the second game of the day against cross-county foe Briarwood. Kenyah Speigner and Charley Clark both went 3-3 from the plate. With the score tied 2-2 in the top of the fifth inning, the Lady Eagles responded with a three-run inning to jump ahead of Briarwood for good. Nicole Harrelson started the inning with a single and was soon followed when Speigner took the first pitch she saw for a ride into right field, which was good for a single as well. The next two batters, Skyler Laird and Clark, both doubled to bring home the three runs and give Calera the win.

Game 3. American Christian 5 – Calera 2

Hamm took the mound for the second time of the day against the Lady Patriots and lasted 4.1 innings and gave up six hits and five runs, two of them earned. Calera fared better against American Christian in the second matchup between the two schools on the day, however could still not get over the hump. Speigner led the way for the Lady Eagles from the plate with a perfect 2-2 game, but with the score tilted slightly in American Christian’s favor at 3-2 in the fifth inning, the Lady Patriots scored two backbreaking runs to put the game away.

Calera moved to 13-4 after the tournament.