The Lady Purple Devils from Ragland are on a roll and are on the biggest win streak of the season. The winning streak has reached 13 games with the latest two wins coming in the area tournament.Two weeks ago, they won the Pleasant Valley Classic that was played at Woodland Park.
Last Thursday, they defeated Jefferson Christian Academy twice to win the area tournament for the eighth year in a row. They are currently 24-9 on the season.
Ragland 2, Ohatchee 0
Ragland scored single runs in the third inning and sixth inning as they defeated Ohatchee 2-0. Kendall Poe tossed a three-hit shut out and struck out two.
Emily Church had two hits including a RBI double. Andrea Bean also had a double while Lauren Wright had two hits. Poe and Kristen Alexander also had hits. J.J. Looney scored both Ragland runs.
Ragland 11, Lincoln 1
The Lady Purple Devils scored in every inning but the first and went on to easily beat Lincoln 11-1.
Rachel Cathers was a perfect 4-for-4 with two stolen bases. She scored one run and drove in another. Reagan Campbell and Church had three hits each while Poe had two hits and two RBIs. Markia Lindsay also had two hits.
Poe went six innings and gave up only one hit while striking out five.
Bean worked one inning and gave up one hit and one run. She walked one and struck out one.
Ragland 5, Woodland 4
Ragland had to fight from behind against Woodland in the first game of the tournament winning 5-4 by scoring two runs in the fifth inning.
Woodland scored all four of its runs in the first inning but Ragland held its composure to win the game.
With the Lady Purple Devils trailing 4-3 in the fifth (and final) inning, Church singled to tie the game and then Campbell drove her in with the game-winning hit.
Poe gave up four runs and settled down after the first inning and gave up seven hits and struck out three.
Ragland 5, Gaston 0
Poe gave up only one hit over four innings as Ragland beat Gaston 5-0. She walked one and struck out four.
The Lady Purple Devils scored four runs in the third inning with the big blow being a three-run home run by Bean. Poe had one hit and scored two runs. Wright and Madison Oliver had one hit each.
Ragland 2, White Plains 1
Church was 3-for-3 including two doubles and drove in both Ragland runs as they defeated White Plains 2-1. Andrea Bean had one hit and scored both runs. Oliver had two hits while Wright and Brooke Evans had one hit each.
Poe worked six innings and gave up one run on five hits while striking out four.
Ragland 4, Lincoln 0
Oliver had three hits, scored one run and drove in another to lead Ragland past Lincoln 4-0. Cathers, Wright and Lindsay all had one hit each. Bean drove in two runs with a hit while Poe had a RBI single.
Poe tossed a four-hit shutout and struck out two.
Ragland 8, Handley 6
In the championship game, Ragland scored five runs in the fifth inning and went on to beat Handley 8-6. Church was 2-for-4 with two runs scored and three RBIs to lead the Lady Purple Devils. Evans had three hits including a triple and drove in one run while Campbell had two hits including a two-run triple.
Poe went the distance and gave up six runs on eight hits. She struck out two.
Ragland coach Matt Jackson said winning the tournament was a total team effort.
“We are beginning to click at the right time,” Jackson said.
Ragland 9, Talladega 5
In the final regular season game, Ragland defeated Talladega 9-5 scoring three runs in the first inning and four runs in the fifth inning.
Poe went the distance and gave up five runs on four hits and struck out seven.
Oliver was 3-for-4 at the plate with a RBI triple and she scored three runs. Church also had three hits including a triple and home run. She scored twice and drove in two runs. Alexander and Poe had two hits each.
Ragland 10, JCA 0
In the opening round of the area tournament, the Lady Purple Devils took care of JCA 10-0. They scored six runs in the sixth inning to put the game away.
Poe gave up only one hit over six innings, walked one and struck out three. Poe also had one hit and drove in three runs.
Wright had one hit, scored two runs and drove in another run while Alexander and Lindsay had run-scoring hits.
Ragland 11, JCA 0
In the championship game, Poe was outstanding on the mound and at the plate as Ragland defeated JCA 11-0 to win its eighth area tournament crown in a row. Poe was a perfect 4-for-4 including three doubles, scored three runs and had five RBIs. On the mound, she tossed a one-hit shut out while striking out three.
Wright was 2-for-3 with one run scored and one RBI while Bean and Cathers both had one hit each, scored one run each and drove in one run each. Alexander had one hit, scored two runs and had a stolen base.
“Our girls bounced back to beat JCA twice after losing to them earlier in the season,” Jackson said.
Ragland hosted Collinsville this past Tuesday in the opening round of the sub-state playoffs.
