HELENA – The first of two guaranteed meetings this season between the Class 7A and 6A state champions did not disappoint as the Thompson Warriors and Helena Huskies battled in a high-scoring affair.
In the end, Thompson rallied later to beat Helena 8-7 on Tuesday, Feb. 24 at Helena High School to extend its perfect start to the year.
The Warriors got going early with a Kelsey Burden double and Krimson Calhoun bunt single before Whitney Holtzapfel got hit by a pitch to load the bases. Kadyn Bush promptly cleared the bags with a grand slam to take a 4-0 lead.While the second inning brought no offense for either club, Calhoun and Morgan Adolphus started out the third with singles, and two batters later, Bush delivered again with a two-run single and made it a 6-0 game.
Izzy Vice responded in the home half of the frame with a solo shot on the first pitch of the inning. Grace Browne's double and Macie Brashears' single kept the offense going, and two batters later, Hayden Traywick doubled to left to bring both runners home and cut it to 6-3.
Eveline Guess then came in for Carrington Schiefer and worked a one-two-three top of the fourth. Thompson also changed pitchers in the fourth and got the first two outs before three-straight errors allowed Browne to score and make it a 6-4 game. Hayden Traywick then tied up the game on another error in right.
The next 12 batters across both teams got out before Brashears overcame a two-out spot with a home run to center, giving Helena a 7-6 lead after trailing 6-0.
However, the Warriors used a Burden single and stolen base to set up a Calhoun game-tying double. Adolphus bunted Calhoun over to third, and Holtzapfel followed that up with a line-drive double to left to give Thompson an 8-7 lead.
Bailey Holderfield then retired the side with two strikeouts to seal the one-run win.
Calhoun finished 3-for-4 with three runs and an RBI while Burden was 2-for-4 with two runs. Bush racked up six RBI off her grand slam and two-run double and finished 2-for-4. Holderfield grabbed the win with eight strikeouts in four innings of relief. She gave up just one hit and three of the four runs that crossed home were unearned.
Brashears was Helena's top hitter and went 2-for-4 with three runs and an RBI.
Thompson improved to 6-0 and will hit the road again to play in the Wetumpka Tournament on Feb. 27 and 28.
The Huskies dropped to 3-3 and will play in the Jacksonville State Tournament on Saturday, Feb. 28.
