AISA AAA FINALS: Macon East holds off Clarke Prep to earn 11th title on program history

The Knights of Macon East celebrate their state championship on Saturday after defeating Clarke Prep, 3-1, at Lagoon Park. (Tim Gayle)

By TIM GAYLE

Macon East Academy’s softball team was going through pre-game warmups for Saturday’s Class AAA state championship game when right fielder Mollie Ross crashed into the fence chasing a fly ball and was scratched from the starting lineup. 

The Knights recovered from the shocking turn of events by scoring two runs in the first inning and holding off Clarke Prep School down the stretch for a 3-1 victory and the program’s 11th state championship on Saturday at Lagoon Park Softball Complex.

It’s been that kind of year for the Knights (42-16-1), who rarely had the same lineup two weeks in a row and were never dominating in the batter’s box, in the circle or on defense, but most of the time managed to do just enough to pull out the victory. 

“We’ve had tons of injuries,” Macon East coach Glynn Lott said. “It’s been the hardest year I can ever remember as far as we never play with the same lineup. We hadn’t made (the lineup card) out until we got here. We don’t ever know who’s going to be at the game with all the injuries we’ve had.”

If there was a Most Valuable Player for the season, or on Saturday, it was senior pitcher Casey Stengell, who split time on the pitching staff last season, then became the steady dependable pitcher that the Knights needed this season and again on Saturday. 

“She’s done a great job all year,” Lott said. “We’ve had different ones behind her to pitch, but she’s been the one to go to. I felt like she did all right in the seventh (inning), but in the fifth and sixth she had a little spell there. But if we would have lost (and had to play another game), we would have pitched her again. She would have wanted to. She’s been that way all year.”

Stengell, in fact, escaped a bases-loaded jam in the fifth by retiring seven of the final nine batters she faced, striking out Lake Overstreet in the seventh with the tying run on first base, then hugging catcher Addison Longcrier as the Knights celebrated their second consecutive softball championship. 

“I did start wearing down a little but I was trying to push through,” she said, before acknowledging she would have asked to pitch another game if the Knights had to play one. “I definitely would have asked for it. I don’t know if I would have finished the game, but I definitely would have tried.”

Stengell was just as huge at the plate. After Mya Tatum scored on a groundout, Stengell followed with a single through the legs of Clarke Prep pitcher Kady Thomas to drive in Jamya Powell for a 2-0 lead. 

In the third, Stengell’s sacrifice fly scored Tatum, who went 4 for 4 on the day and scored two of the Knights’ three runs. 

That 3-0 lead seemed shaky at times but the Knights left runners in scoring position in each of their final three at-bats, failing to extend their lead.

“We left a few on,” Lott said. “We had two or three times with one out and runners in scoring position and couldn’t get the big hit. But we’ve battled all year. It’s kind of same M.O. for us.”

The Gators would have runners in scoring position in five of the final six innings, but only pushed across a single run in the fifth.

“It definitely put more pressure on me and more pressure on my defense,” Stengell said. “Run support would have been nice but three was enough.”

Stengell mixed her pitches effectively to keep the Gators off balance and the only error by her defense was on a grounder back to the circle in the third inning. Stengell whirled and threw toward second base between her second baseman and shortstop to get the forceout but neither could come up with the ball cleanly. 

But, as they did all day and for most of the season, the Knights worked out of it successfully, holding the Gators without a run. 

“We’ve definitely worked hard for what we’ve gotten and I’m just proud of my team,” Stengell said. “We definitely faced a lot of adversity. We were young with a seventh-grade shortstop and a ninth grader at catcher. We lost our senior starting catcher who was hurt and couldn’t catch the entire season so we definitely faced a lot of injuries and adversity but we overcame it. Other people stepped up to help our team.”

And the result was another state championship, giving the Knights 15 appearances in the state finals and 11 championships. Both are the most in the Alabama Independent School Association. 

“It never gets old,” Lott said. “It’s fun to watch the new ones that haven’t made it before but the older ones expect it and pass it down.”

Making the all-tournament team were Lee-Scott Academy’s Railey Langford and Madi Davis, Clarke Prep’s Katy Thomas, Drue Flint and Brooke Brasell and Macon East Academy’s Lathan Johnson, Powell, Tatum and Stengell.

AISA SOFTBALL STATE TOURNAMENT RESULTS

CLASS AAA

Game 1 -- Macon East Academy 9, Fort Dale Academy 6

Game 2 -- Bessemer Academy 12, Glenwood School 10

Game 3 -- Clarke Prep School 8, Springwood School 0

Game 4 -- Lee-Scott Academy 11, Monroe Academy 1

Game 5 -- Fort Dale Academy 6, Glenwood School 2

Game 6 -- Monroe Academy 12, Springwood School 8

Game 7 -- Macon East Academy 8, Bessemer Academy 7

Game 8 -- Clarke Prep School 7, Lee-Scott Academy 4

Game 9 -- Lee-Scott Academy 9, Fort Dale Academy 1 

Game 10 -- Bessemer Academy 13, Monroe Academy 2

Game 11 -- Macon East Academy 10, Clarke Prep School 3

Game 12 -- Lee-Scott Academy 8, Bessemer Academy 0

Game 13 -- Clarke Prep School 2, Lee-Scott Academy 1

Game 14 -- Championship: Macon East Academy 3, Clarke Prep School 1