OXFORD – Hartselle High School fought through the elimination bracket and beat Athens to force a winner-take-all finale in the AHSAA Class 6A State Softball Tournament that concluded Wednesday at Choccolocco Park.
    The Golden Eagles (29-14) survived, however, scoring eight runs in the fifth inning of the if-necessary game in the double-elimination tournament, and Lily Lowery pitched a complete game in a 12-9 victory over Hartselle in the championship game.
    The victory gives Athens its second title in the last three seasons and sixth in school history, as the Golden Tigers also won fast-pitch titles in 2010 and 2022 and won slow-pitch championships in 1989, 1990 and 1999.

    Athens and Hartselle played three times in the last two days. Athens won 11-1 in Tuesday’s winners bracket championship game, and the Tigers (38-15-1) replied with an 18-8 win that sent the championship round to a second game.
    In the 18-8 win, Hartselle’s Brit Godfrey had four hits and drove in six runs, and K.J. Prather went 5-for-5.  The Tigers had 20 hits against Athens pitcher Lexie Thornton, who pitched the complete game.
    In Athens’ 12-9 championship win, Caitlyn Tedford went 2-for-4 and drove in three runs, while Kara Crews and Morgan Stiles drove in two runs apiece. Athens’ Carly Ennis, the tournament MVP, finished 2-for-3 with one RBI and three runs scored.
    Lowery allowed 13 hits and five walks, but earned the pitching win for Athens.
    Hartselle also defeated Gardendale 5-3 in an elimination to start 6A action Wednesday.