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Kyle Parmley
Vestavia Hills Softball
Vestavia players celebrate after a win in the Class 7A North Central Regional on May 14, 2016, at Sokol Park in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
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Kyle Parmley
Vestavia Hills Softball
Vestavia celebrates following a win in the Class 7A North Central Regional on May 14, 2016, at Sokol Park in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
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Kyle Parmley
Vestavia Hills Softball
Vestavia's Merritt Cahoon celebrates a win in the Class 7A North Central Regional on May 14, 2016, at Sokol Park in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
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Kyle Parmley
Vestavia Hills Softball
Vestavia pitcher Jessica Perley (16) in the Class 7A North Central Regional in a game between Vestavia Hills and Hoover on May 14, 2016, at Sokol Park in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
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Kyle Parmley
Vestavia Hills Softball
Vestavia's RaeAnn King (18) throws to first base in the Class 7A North Central Regional in a game between Vestavia Hills and Hoover on May 14, 2016, at Sokol Park in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
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Kyle Parmley
Vestavia Hills Softball
Vestavia hoists the Regional Qualifier trophy in the Class 7A North Central Regional on May 14, 2016, at Sokol Park in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
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Kyle Parmley
Vestavia Hills Softball
Vestavia's Taylor Coe (left) celebrates after scoring a run in the Class 7A North Central Regional in a game between Vestavia Hills and Spain Park on May 14, 2016, at Sokol Park in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
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Kyle Parmley
Vestavia Hills Softball
Vestavia head coach Lissa Walker reacts to her team scoring a run in the Class 7A North Central Regional in a game between Vestavia Hills and Spain Park on May 14, 2016, at Sokol Park in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
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Kyle Parmley
Vestavia Hills Softball
Vestavia's Taylor Coe (left), Mary Sanders James (center), and Hannah Grace Roden (right) celebrate in the Class 7A North Central Regional in a game between Vestavia Hills and Spain Park on May 14, 2016, at Sokol Park in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
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Kyle Parmley
Vestavia Hills Softball
Vestavia centerfielder Taylor Coe (14) tracks a fly ball in the Class 7A North Central Regional in a game between Vestavia Hills and Hoover on May 14, 2016, at Sokol Park in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
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Kyle Parmley
Vestavia Hills Softball
Vestavia shortstop Merritt Cahoon (8) tosses to second base in the Class 7A North Central Regional in a game between Vestavia Hills and Hoover on May 14, 2016, at Sokol Park in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
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Kyle Parmley
Vestavia Hills Softball
Vestavia's Mary Sanders James (left) involved in a close play at third base in the Class 7A North Central Regional in a game between Vestavia Hills and Oak Mountain on May 13, 2016, at Sokol Park in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
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Kyle Parmley
Vestavia Hills Softball
Vestavia's Mary Sanders James (20) scores a run in the Class 7A North Central Regional in a game between Vestavia Hills and Hoover on May 14, 2016, at Sokol Park in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
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Kyle Parmley
Vestavia Hills Softball
Vestavia's Kate Meloun (17) stands at third base in the Class 7A North Central Regional in a game between Vestavia Hills and Hoover on May 14, 2016, at Sokol Park in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
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Kyle Parmley
Vestavia Hills Softball
Vestavia's RaeAnn King (18) readies at her third base position in the Class 7A North Central Regional in a game between Vestavia Hills and Hoover on May 14, 2016, at Sokol Park in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
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Kyle Parmley
Vestavia Hills Softball
Vestavia's Mary Sanders James (20) catches a fly ball in the Class 7A North Central Regional in a game between Vestavia Hills and Hoover on May 14, 2016, at Sokol Park in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
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Kyle Parmley
Vestavia Hills Softball
Vestavia pitcher Jessica Perley (16) throws to first baseman Hannah Grace Roden (13) for an out in the Class 7A North Central Regional in a game between Vestavia Hills and Hoover on May 14, 2016, at Sokol Park in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
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Kyle Parmley
Vestavia Hills Softball
Vestavia seniors Jordan Reising (left) and Taylor Coe (right) pose with the Regional Qualifier trophy in the Class 7A North Central Regional on May 14, 2016.
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Kyle Parmley
Vestavia Hills Softball
Vestavia's infield celebrates at the mound in the Class 7A North Central Regional in a game between Vestavia Hills and Hoover on May 14, 2016, at Sokol Park in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
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Kyle Parmley
Vestavia Hills Softball
Vestavia's Merritt Cahoon (8) makes contact in the Class 7A North Central Regional in a game between Vestavia Hills and Hoover on May 14, 2016, at Sokol Park in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
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Kyle Parmley
Vestavia Hills Softball
Vestavia's Merritt Cahoon (left) and RaeAnn King (right) react in the Class 7A North Central Regional in a game between Vestavia Hills and Hoover on May 14, 2016, at Sokol Park in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
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Kyle Parmley
Vestavia Hills Softball
Vestavia leftfielder Ashley Dieguez (6) makes a nice catch in the Class 7A North Central Regional in a game between Vestavia Hills and Spain Park on May 14, 2016, at Sokol Park in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
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Kyle Parmley
Vestavia Hills Softball
Vestavia's Kate Meloun (17) makes contact in the Class 7A North Central Regional in a game between Vestavia Hills and Spain Park on May 14, 2016, at Sokol Park in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
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Kyle Parmley
Vestavia Hills Softball
Vestavia's outfield meets before an inning in the Class 7A North Central Regional in a game between Vestavia Hills and Oak Mountain on May 13, 2016, at Sokol Park in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
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Kyle Parmley
Vestavia Hills Softball
Vestavia's Jessica Perley (16) in the Class 7A North Central Regional in a game between Vestavia Hills and Oak Mountain on May 13, 2016, at Sokol Park in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
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Kyle Parmley
Vestavia Hills Softball
Vestavia's RaeAnn King (18) heads home in the Class 7A North Central Regional in a game between Vestavia Hills and Oak Mountain on May 13, 2016, at Sokol Park in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
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Kyle Parmley
Vestavia Hills Softball
Vestavia's Ashley Dieguez (6) in the Class 7A North Central Regional in a game between Vestavia Hills and Oak Mountain on May 13, 2016, at Sokol Park in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
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Kyle Parmley
Vestavia Hills Softball
Vestavia's Addie Bean warms up in the Class 7A North Central Regional in a game between Vestavia Hills and Hoover on May 14, 2016, at Sokol Park in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
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Kyle Parmley
Vestavia Hills Softball
Vestavia's Taylor Coe (14) in the Class 7A North Central Regional in a game between Vestavia Hills and Oak Mountain on May 13, 2016, at Sokol Park in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
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Kyle Parmley
Vestavia Hills Softball
Vestavia's Mary Emma Davidson (11) warms up in the Class 7A North Central Regional in a game between Vestavia Hills and Hoover on May 14, 2016, at Sokol Park in Tuscaloosa, Alabama.
There’s just something about the Lady Rebels when their backs are against the wall.
Twice in the past week, the Vestavia Hills softball team has staved off elimination to win and advance, this time defeating Hoover, 7-0, on Saturday afternoon at the North Central Regional in Tuscaloosa, to qualify for the state tournament.
“This team has learned what being a team means and how to lean on each other,” head coach Lissa Walker said.
There was no score in the crucial contest until the Lady Rebels broke through with a pair of runs in the fourth inning. The following inning, Merritt Cahoon’s RBI single and Taylor Coe’s sacrifice fly highlighted a three-run inning to make the score 5-0.
That was more than enough for pitcher Jessica Perley, who dazzled in the complete game shutout. She allowed five hits and struck out four, but for good measure, she launched a two-run home run over the left field fence to increase the lead to its final margin.
Leading up to the final game, the regional featured plenty of adventure for Vestavia Hills. The Lady Rebels were forced to wait over two hours for their first game against Oak Mountain to begin on Friday night.
In that contest, a 7-1 victory for the Lady Rebels, Oak Mountain took an early lead, but Mary Sanders James cleared the bases with a gapper to give Vestavia a 3-1 lead after two innings.
In the middle of the game, the lights on the field went out, causing a delay of roughly 15 minutes. However, they still finished nearly two hours before the conclusion of Spain Park vs. Hoover, and were awaiting the winner of that game.
The Lady Jags defeated Hoover, and began play against Vestavia at approximately 10:45 p.m. Friday. The teams played four innings before having to stop play shortly after midnight.
The game was halted with Spain Park holding a 2-0 lead, but the Lady Rebels came back at 9 a.m. Saturday and immediately scored four runs to claim the edge. Spain Park would come back to tie and eventually win the game, setting up the elimination contest against Hoover.
The state tournament will take place at Montgomery’s Lagoon Park next Friday and Saturday. The Lady Rebels are slated to open against Baker at noon Friday.
