Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Managing Editor

CLANTON – With 18 hits and 15 runs, the Helena Huskies not only grabbed a fifth area win to remain unbeaten in area play this season on Thursday, April 7, but they locked up hosting rights for the area tournament.

The Huskies took down Chilton County 15-4 to improve to 5-0 in area play this season with one last area game against Pelham. With every other team already having two or more losses, that was enough to earn the Huskies the regular-season area championship.

In the battle with the Tigers, Helena fell behind 1-0 in the bottom of the first, a deficit that held up through two innings.

But in the top of the third, the Huskies scored five runs to take command of the game.

They went on to score multiple runs in each inning the rest of the way, scoring four in the fourth, four in the fifth and two more in the sixth to pick up the 10-run rule win in six innings by a final score of 15-4.

Helena outhit Chilton County 18-7 and committed no errors compared to three from the Tigers.

At the plate, the Huskies totaled three extra base hits, including a triple from Presley Lively, who finished with three hits.

Ann Marie Stanbridge led Helena at the plate in the win thanks to a 4-for-5 game featuring three RBIs. Alex Erwin and Alana Scott both picked up three hits and had three RBIs, while Bella Holliday added two RBIs on two hits.

Sara Ezekiel also chipped in an RBI with one on two hits, while Mary Beth Allen had two hits.

In the circle, Stanbridge got the complete-game win. She allowed four runs on seven hits and two walks, while she struck out six.