BY DANIEL SCHMIDT
FOR THE OBSERVER
AUBURN — Outside of the program, it seemed few people in Alabama gave Auburn High School a chance to advance deep into a formidable 7A state softball tournament. With that in mind, the Tigers scratched, clawed and fought their way through close game after close game, coming a whisker’s length away from playing for the school’s first softball state championship.
In the end, however, an 11-1 defeat against eventual state champion Thompson High School in the first game of the May 14 championship rounds brought an abrupt end to a magical run defined by tight margins, resiliency and a collective love for each other.
In an interview the day after the tournament ended, AHS head softball coach Matt Hendricks reflected on the journey his team went through this year, as well as past disappointments that fueled a “revenge tour.”
“When you have four kids who have been with you for an exceptionally long period of time, when you watch them for years get into a situation where they get their hearts broken, it was nice to see them at regionals get over that hump,” Hendricks said. “I feel like we competed extremely well and shocked a lot of people. I think the majority of the state thought we’d go up there and go 0-2 and go home.”
With four seniors graduating, Hendricks also looked back fondly on some of their finest moments of the season.
They included Mary Alderson Grace’s seven-inning shutout masterclass against Baldwin County, Daley Alsobrook’s towering two-run home run against Dothan in the regional tournament, Abigail Helms’ three-run home run against Sparkman in Jacksonville and Gracie Mason’s dramatic in-season improvement as a hitter.
“There are a lot of moments. I can’t really narrow it to one, but with each one of those kids that are graduating, there’s a lot there,” Hendricks said.
The Tigers finish the season with a 28-19 record and the second final-four finish in school history. It is the first time AHS has made it to the final four since 2019.
Game One: Auburn 1, Daphne 0
Matched up against last year’s 7A runners-up and University of Alabama signee Victoria Moten, the Tigers knew they needed a special performance to take down Daphne High School in the opening game. While the original strategy of directly challenging Moten did not pay off exactly as hoped, AHS’ collective resilience and an ace pitcher of its own proved to be enough.
After Auburn’s first three batters were quickly recorded out in the first inning, the Trojans quickly threatened with two runners in scoring position and only one out. But the Tigers’ defense stood strong after Mason snagged a crucial fly ball in center field and Grace completed a double play at second base. That stand proved to be a harbinger of things to come, as both teams struggled to get runners on base throughout most of the game.
At different times, it appeared either team could break through the scoreless deadlock and take control of the game. However, that never came in regulation, and it was Lily Brewer’s 10 strikeouts that kept AHS afloat while stranding numerous runners in scoring position.
With the crowd growing restless and the top of their batting rotation back up at a crucial moment, the Tigers finally seized their opportunity in the ninth inning.
As the leadoff batter, Alivia Harris kicked things off with a single, which Brewer immediately followed up with a single of her own. Alsobrook then unlocked the game with a double deep into center field that brought Harris home from second base and sent the Tigers’ dugout into a wild celebration.
Even with the slim lead in hand, AHS still had to secure victory with one final defensive stand. In the end, the Tigers got just that, as Alsobrook snagged two consecutive fly ball outs and Brewer emphatically struck out the third batter to end the game.
Game Two: Sparkman 6, Auburn 5
Early in the game against Sparkman High School it appeared the Tigers found themselves in yet another ultra-low-scoring game, but the situation drastically changed in the third inning, when Sparkman took a three-run lead.
Yet, as they had done all season in critical moments, AHS responded. With the bases loaded, Emma Kate Penton blasted a line-drive single past the shortstop that scored Brewer and Alsobrook from third and second base, respectively.
As the bases quickly loaded again, the Tigers tied the game. Peyton Fitzgerald’s single down the third base line scored Reese Kelley from third base.
Neither team could score in the fourth and fifth innings, but in the sixth inning, Sparkman regained the lead after a two-out double and an outfielder’s error brought runners home from first and second base.
AHS left a runner stranded in scoring position in the sixth inning, and in the top of the seventh, Sparkman extended its two-run lead to three with an inside-the-park home run.
For a moment, it appeared the Tigers would again find a way to force extra innings after Grace’s two-out, two-run single into right field brought Addison Clanton and Mason home from third and second base, respectively. However, a ground ball during the next at-bat went straight to second base and prematurely ended the comeback attempt.
Game Three: Auburn 5, Fairhope 3
Despite entering the win-or-go-home game against Fairhope High School disappointed by the close loss, Auburn responded with perhaps one of the best state tournament games of any classification up to that point.
In a similar fashion to the Tigers’ first two games, neither team was able to generate enough offense in the first two innings to score a run.
The scoring began in the bottom of the third inning, when a sacrificial fly ball deep into center field brought a runner home from third base to put the Fairhope up 1-0. The Pirates extended the lead with a one-run single in the top of the fourth.
As the fifth inning began, the game’s complexion completely changed. After Penton led off with a single into center field, Caitlyn Brock, who came on as the baserunner, quickly stole second base. In a fortunate stroke of luck, the Pirates’ outfield committed a colossal error that allowed Reese Kelly’s fly ball to drop into right field and score Brock from second base. It was a stunning lack of communication that turned a routine play for a third out into the Tigers’ first run.
With the lead cut in half, AHS continued its momentum into the sixth inning, where Harris tied the game with a towering solo home run into center field that caused the Tigers’ dugout to erupt into celebration.
However, after watching their lead slip away in the final innings, the Pirates were not done scoring. After advancing a runner all the way to third base with a single and two stolen bases, a bunt eventually brought the runner home from third base, restoring FHS’ lead going into the seventh inning.
Facing elimination, AHS’ patience at home plate finally paid off. With the bases loaded, Grace delivered the game-winning runs with a single into center field that scored Taylor Coleman and Mason from third and second base, respectively. Harris, who already had a home run to her name, then quickly added an insurance run with a single into right field that delivered Kelley home from second base.
With the Tigers up 5-3 going into the final at-bat, the responsibility fell to Brewer to secure the victory and her second win of the day.
For a brief moment, it appeared the Pirates could force an eighth inning after getting two runners in scoring position with two outs already recorded. But in the end, that pressure did not impact Brewer, who struck the final batter out and brought the AHS dugout streaming onto the field.
Game Four: Thompson 11, Auburn 1
As the championship rounds began, it appeared the Tigers were off to their fastest start of the state tournament after loading the bases with two outs.
However, after the final batter struck out looking, a near-dream start quickly became a nightmare as physical and emotional fatigue from the three previous games set in.
That led to a disastrous first inning for AHS as an offensive barrage from the Warriors — driven by excellent hitting and well-timed baserunning and aided by occasional miscommunication and questionable calls from the umpires — led to seven total runs.
Despite facing a daunting lead, the Tigers refused to give up.
Following a defensive stand in the second inning, AHS recorded its one run of the game in the third inning after Helms blasted a beautiful two-out triple into left field that scored Alsobrook from first base.
From there, offensive struggles and two one-run singles in the third inning, a one-run double in the fifth inning and a one-run double in the sixth inning ended the game an inning early.