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By ALEC ETHEREDGE | Managing Editor

HOOVER – The Spain Park Jaguars remained one of the state’s hottest softball teams on Tuesday, April 4, following their 6-1 showing at the Gulf Coast Classic over spring break with a one-run area victory against the Chelsea Hornets.

Spain Park broke a 2-2 tie through the top of the fifth with a run in the home half of the fifth inning that ultimately made the difference in a 3-2 victory to improve to 3-1 in area play and 24-6 overall.

The Jaguars got off to a fast start in the victory, taking a 2-0 lead through two innings of play thanks to one run in each of the first two innings.

A two-out RBI single from Klara Thompson in the bottom of the first was the first impact of the game, while Katie Flannery did the same thing with two outs in the bottom of the second to make it 2-0 early.

Chelsea had some two-out magic of its own, however, bringing home two runs in the top of the fourth on a two-out single from Kathryn Bryars that brought home two runs and evened the score through four innings of play.

But it was one final two-out single from Spain Park’s Ella Reed that ultimately made the difference.

In the bottom of the fifth, she went from down in the count 0-2, to lining a ball to center field that got down and scored Charlee Bennett for what became the game-winning run in the 3-2 win.

Chelsea put two more base runners on over the final two innings, but the Hornets never could even the score again.

Ella Ussery and Ella Reed both had strong outings in the circle for Spain Park with Ussery going 3 2/3 innings allowing two runs on three hits and five walks with four strikeouts and Reed finishing off the game, allowing one hit and striking out five to preserve the win.

Flannery was the leader at the plate for the Jags with two hits and an RBI, while Thompson and Reed both finished with one hit and one RBI.

Chelsea was led by Bryars with one hit and two RBIs, while Samantha Sutton added a 2-for-2 game with a walk.