Wetumpka High School rising senior Mya Holt delivered in the clutch twice in the seventh inning of game two of the AHSAA North-South All-Star Softball Classic at Lagoon Park Wednesday night.

The South, coached Chris Steiner of 2023 Class 5A state champion Brewbaker Tech and Cindy Hawthorne of 2023 Class 1A state champion Brantley, tied game one with the North 3-3. Heading into the top of the seventh inning in game two, the North led 4-1.

A rally kindred to the state championship kind resulted in the top of the seventh inning, however, as the South delivered six hits and five runs to take a 6-4 lead. The go-ahead run was driven in by Holt, the 2023 Class 6A state tournament MVP and Alabama Gatorade Player of the Year.

The North staged its own rally in the bottom of the seventh inning with two hits that resulted in a run and had runners on second and third with two outs when Holt came in from the bullpen to get the final out with a sizzling strikeout to seal the win.

Holt earned MVP honors for the South, and catcher Natalia Kenyatta, who had two hits, an RBI and three out three base runners attempting to steal, earn MVP for the North squad.

The North led 4-1 heading into the final inning of game two. Horseshoe Bend’s Reagan Taylor led off the rally with a single. Theodore’s Brianna Allen delivered a two-run double three batters later to cut the lead to 4-3. Gulf Shores’ Keeshheinna Titi followed with an RBI single to tie the game and advanced to second on the throw. Holt then delivered a hit to right-center field to plate Titi for what turned out to be the winning run. Saraland’s Brelynne Hughes ran for Holt and scored an insurance run on an RBI double by Prattville’s Kaylee Robles.

The North got one run back in the bottom of the seventh off South pitcher Jaycee Quinn of Verbena thanks to bases-loaded fielder’s choice by Glencoe’s Abigail Bunt, which scored Madison County’s Gracyn Spicer, who led off the inning with a single.

Holt, who threw three strong innings in game one, came in with the tying and winning runs in scoring position and ended the game with the clutch strikeout to earn the save. Opp’s Reese Cauley pitched five innings for the South allowing four hits, two runs and striking out five. Mikayla Baumgartner of Mary Montgomery pitched the sixth inning allowing no hits and two unearned runs to get the win.

Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa’s Mackenzie Harper pitched two strong innings striking out five as the second-game North starter. Spicer hurled three scoreless innings, and Sara Phillips of Hewitt-Trussville, who had three strong innings in the first game, pitched a shutout innings. Abigail Herndon of Brooks pitched the final inning and got the loss.

Holt and Hughes each had two hits in the nightcap for the South. Mallory Ogle of John Carroll Catholic had two hits for the North.

GAME 1: North 3, South 3 (tie)

The first game of the 2023 AHSAA North-South Softball All-Star Classic at Lagoon Park Wednesday ended in a 3-3 tie thanks to some clutch hitting in the final two innings.

The North took a 2-0 lead in the second inning, ironically, taking advantage of a running mistake. Emilie Godfrey of Hartselle started the rally with a one-out single. Leigh-Anna Davis of Buckhorn reached safely on a sacrifice bunt when the ball was dropped at first base.

Randolph County’s Brantlee Wortham then bunted and reached first safely. On the play, Davis ran to third base where Godfrey was standing, and in the rundown, the ball was thrown away and both runners scored.

The South cut the lead to 2-1 in the bottom of the fourth inning Mikayla Baumgartner of Mary Montgomery doubled and scored on a RBI-ground out by Alma Bryant’s Emma Hudson.

The South picked up another run in the fifth inning to tie the game at 2-2. Wetumpka’s Gracie Ward doubled in Baker’s Jaicee Massey, who reached on an error.

The North then took the lead again in the top of the sixth inning when Godfrey walked, moved to second on a sacrifice and took third on a wild pitch. Wortham then singled to right-center to plate Godfrey.

In the bottom of the seventh, the South averted a loss – ending the game in a 3-3 tie when Opp’s Reese Cauley walked and later scored on a single by Watson.

Pitcher Mackenzie Harper of Hillcrest-Tuscaloosa got the final out on a fly ball caught in foul territory to end the game.

Ward and Watson had two hits each for the South. Wortham had two hits for the North. North starting pitcher Sara Phillips of Hewitt-Trussville hurled three shutout innings for the North allowing two hits and striking out three. Abigail Herndon of Hillcrest also hurled three innings allowing three hits, two runs and whiffing three, and Harper had one strikeout in her inning.

Mya Holt of Wetumpka started in the circle for the South and pitched three innings, allowed two unearned runs, two hits and struck out two. Watson pitched three middle innings, allowed three hits and one earned run, and Jaycee Quinn of Verbena hurled one shutout inning striking out two – throwing nine pitches in the top of the seventh, all strikes.

North Sweep Boys and Girls Soccer Matches at Folmar Soccer Complex

The North swept the South in the 2023 AHSAA North-South All-Star Soccer competition at Emory Folmar Soccer Complex Wednesday night.

The North girls won the opening game 3-2 to improve to 18-3-1 in the series, and North boys won the nightcap 5-3 to improve to 14-4-1 in the series.

The All-Star Week competition concludes Thursday at the Cramton Bowl Multiplex with the North-South volleyball match at 2 p.m. The annual AHSAA Championship Coaches Banquet will be held Thursday night at the Montgomery Renaissance Hotel and Conference Center at 6 p.m. The annual FCA Luncheon will be at no one Thursday at the Renaissance, and the AHSAA Sportsmanship School breakfast will recognize 80 high schools that were ejection and sportsmanship fine free in 2022-23 at the Renaissance at 7:30 a.m.

The 2023 Summer Conference concludes Friday with mandatory administrators’ meetings – including the AHSAA Medical Advisory meeting.

The South boys took a quick 1-0 lead in the boys’ all-star match when Talan Galvan of Gulf Shores scored at the 26-minute mark. The North tied the match on a goal by Cristian Barrientos of Fort Payne two minutes later. William Jackson of Homewood assisted.

The South regained the lead at 32:12 on Galvan’s second goal. Cesar Vazquez of Oneonta scored 1:42 later to send the teams into intermission at 2-2.

The North scored four straight goals in the second half – all coming in a 10-minute span – with Barrientos assisting on three of the kicks. Scoring the goals were Owen Bennich of Hartselle, Dawson Derr of Mars Hill Bible, Homewood’s Jackson, and Brady Allen of Florence.

Dothan’s Mason Roe scored the final goal at 73:15 for the South.

Barrientos earned MVP honors for the North, coached by Patrick McDonald of Pelham and Joey Barrier of Mars Hill. Galvan earned South MVP honors. South coaches were Joe Nelson of Dothan and Matheus Mello of Montgomery Academy.

GIRLS: North 3, South 2

The North girls edged the South 3-2 at Emory Folmar Soccer Complex Wednesday to increase its lead in the series to 18-3-1.

Spain Park’s Tatum Ahlemeyer gave the North the lead just 4:13 into the match with an unassisted goal. The South’s Katie Brightwell of Saint James School tied the game with a goal early in the second half at the 47:08 mark.

The two all-star teams battled the next 20 minutes before Oak Mountain’s Avery Smith scored on another North unassisted goal with 66:47 gone. Nahomi Mendoza of Albertville increased the North lead with a clutch goal at the 72:19 mark. Brightwell, who earned South MVP honors, scored her second goal with just over two minutes to play to close the scoring.

Mendoza earned North MVP honors.