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By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Managing Editor

NORTH SHELBY – The Chelsea softball team kept its hope of hosting the area tournament alive on Thursday, April 14 in a rivalry win against Briarwood.

The Hornets used an eight-run opening inning to create early separation en route to a 10-0 victory that helped them improve to 3-1 in area play with one game left against the Lions and area leader Mountain Brook.

The eight-run opening inning for Chelsea saw the Hornets string together five consecutive hits out of the gate.

Jadyn Buff, Kathryn Bryars, Olivia Trout and Julia Amacher sandwiched singles around a triple from Abby Hibbs, which led to three runs crossing the plate.

Then, after a ground out, the Hornets four more singles from Hardy Erwin, Hanna Marler, Madeline Epperson and Buff to bring home five more runs.

The game got quiet from there, with neither scoring over the next three innings.

In the top of the fifth, however, Chelsea started the inning with two more singles from Gracie Walker and Buff, before both eventually scored on a sac fly and error to give the Hornets a 10-0 advantage.

They then closed out the game in the bottom of the fifth to pick up the 10-run rule victory.

Buff finished the game 4-for-4 at the plate to lead Chelsea, while she was one of four players to finish with two RBIs.

Bryars, Hibbs and Erwin all finished with one hit and two RBIs in the win, while Marler and Trout each had one hit and one RBI. As a team, the Hornets outhit Briarwood 15-4.

Erwin picked up the complete-game shutout in the circle, allowing four hits and one walk with seven strikeouts.