AHSAA 2022 State Softball Championships
Class 6A: Athens Advances to Wednesday’s Finals
with Winner’s Bracket Win over Helena High School
By Josh Bean | For the AHSAA
OXFORD – Athens High School’s eight senior softball players definitely remember who eliminated them from last year’s state softball tournament.
The Golden Eagles (41-10) earned a 3-1 victory over Helena High School in the winner’s bracket final Tuesday at Choccolocco Park as the 2022 AHSAA State Softball Championships began play in Class 6A. The Huskies were the team that knocked Athens out of last year’s state tournament.
“Just to be able to get to the state championship game, they’re excited about that,” Athens coach Travis Barnes said. “Helena, that’s the team that knocked them out last year.”
Athens hasn’t won a state softball title since 2010, but the Golden Eagles need just one more victory Wednesday to take home the Blue Map. Helena now moves to the consolation bracket Wednesday and needs a win to get back to the finals.
The first five batters against Helena got a hit as the Golden Eagles scored three runs in the first inning. Right-handed pitcher Emily Simon did the rest, allowing just one run and earning a complete-game victory.
Helena, Pell City and Calera are the other three remaining teams in the double-elimination 6A tournament. Pell City and Calera play Wednesday at 10:45 a.m., with the winner advancing to play Helena. Whichever team emerges must defeat Athens twice in the championship round, which is scheduled for Wednesday at 5 p.m., at Choccolocco Park’s signature field and will be live-streamed over the subscriber-based NFHS Network and shown live over the AHSAA TV Network.
Other Class 6A scores:
First round
Mortimer Jordan 16, Springville 11
Helena 3, Robertsdale 0
Calera 8, Baldwin County 3
Athens 4, Pell City 1
Winner’s Bracket Semifinals
Helena 10, Mortimer Jordan 8Athens 6, Calera 1
Consolation Bracket
Pell City 8, Baldwin County 2Springville 10, Robertsdale 0
Calera 2, Springville 1
Pell City 5, Mortimer Jordan 4
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