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By Carey Reeder | Staff Writer

In the biannual unholy war on the softball field between Maplesville and Verbena high schools on April 5, Maplesville had a come-from-behind win 6-4. The game was an AHSAA Class 1A Area 6 matchup, and Maplesville has not lost a game since the Chilton County Softball Tournament on March 11.

Verbena struck first in the second inning on an RBI double by Lakeyn Mims to go up 1-0. However, Maplesville grabbed the lead in the bottom half of the third inning behind an RBI double by Laci Cook, and then an RBI single by Jaden McGee to jump ahead 2-1.

McGee was 3-for-3 with a double and two RBIs, and Cook collected two hits.

“Any time you come back from spring break you have to shake the sand off,” Aaron Ratliff, Maplesville assistant coach, said. “The last few games we have been behind, we have found a way to win. When we are not on all cylinders, we always pick each other up, and somebody steps up and has each other’s back, and we find a way to win. We did that tonight.”

The Red Devils of Verbena continued to fight and tied the game at two runs with a bases loaded walk by Kadence Willis in the fourth inning. Verbena took back the lead in the fifth inning when Jaycee Quinn launched a home run over the center field fence that plated two runs to make it 4-2. Quinn was 2-for-4 with the home run and two RBIs. Verbena’s Jasmin Moates was 2-for-4 as well with a double and two runs scored.

Maplesville got to Quinn in the circle knocking nine hits for six runs and only striking out twice in six innings they saw Quinn.

Verbena’s 4-2 lead was short lived, and Maplesville posted three runs in the bottom half of the fifth inning behind RBI singles from Hayden Carter and McGee. Carter’s single plated two runs for Maplesville. Another run in the bottom of the sixth inning by Maplesville solidified the area win.

“We let them get their legs under them, and we still are not 100%,” Ratliff said. “Going into this last half of the season, we are going to find a way to win.”

Lexi Smith won the pitching duel against Quinn with seven innings of six-hit softball and allowed four runs (three earned) and struck out eight Verbena hitters.