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The Pike County Lady Dawgs ended Class 3A, Area 3 runner-up after eventually falling to Opp in the Area Championship on Tuesday in the double elimination tournament.

As area runner-up, Pike County advances to regionals in Gulf Shores for the second consecutive season and first under new head coach Ryan McCollough. Pike County started off the tournament with an 11-1 win over Straughn. Kaitlin Beaty went 2-for-4 for PCHS with a double, two RBIs and one run, while Auriel Moultry went 2-for-3 with a double, four RBIs and one run. Ky Wilkerson scored two runs and Hailey Griffin scored three runs, while Jada Duncan, Alyssa Hiersche, Takeyah Smith and Amity White scored one run each.

Wilkerson pitched all five innings and struck out five batters, while earning a no-hitter and giving up no earned runs.

Next up, Pike County fell to No. 1 seed Opp by a score of 13-3 in the second round. Mikahla Griffin went 2-for-2 with a home run, two RBIs and one run in the loss, while Abagail Griffin pitched one and 2/3 innings and gave up five hits and three earned runs. Wilkerson gave up three hits and no earned runs in two and 1/3 innings pitched.

Opp defeated New Brockton 19-4 and then New Brockton eliminated Straughn by a score of 13-2. Pike County and New Brockton next faced off in an elimination game with the Lady Dawgs advancing by a score of 10-6.

Smith went 3-for-3 at the plate against NBHS with two RBIs and two runs, while Hailey Griffin went 2-for-3 with two doubles and two RBIs. Duncan earned a triple, while White went 2-for-3 with two runs and Wilkerson went 2-for-4 with two RBIs. Wilkerson pitched a complete game and gave up nine hits with three earned runs along with striking out five batters in the win.

Pike County needed to defeat Opp in two consecutive games to win the area championship but Opp sealed their area crown with an 11-1 win in the first game. For Pike County, Hiersche and Wilkerson earned the only Pike County hits. Moultry scored Pike County’s lone run. Wilkerson pitched two innings and gave up three hits and four earned runs, while Abagail Griffin gave up no hits or runs in her one inning pitched. Hailey Griffin gave up three hits and five earned runs in one and 2/3 innings in the circle.