The Daphne Trojans battled their way out of the consolation bracket to the Class 7A state finals in Oxford on Tuesday and took defending champion Hewitt-Trussville to scoreless extra innings with junior Alabama commit Vic Moten in the pitcher’s circle.

Despite being one out away from the end of the ninth inning, a two-out single from Ahkeela Honeycutt gave the Huskies the first and only run of the game to lock in their third state title in the last five years.

Daphne earned the Red Map trophy as runner-up in its first title-game appearance in seven years following elimination wins over Spain Park (5-1), Thompson (1-0 – no-hitter), Central-Phenix City (8-1) and Hoover (6-1). The Trojans also finished second in the state on the Class 6A stage in 2017 and 2008.

In Tuesday’s 7A championship, Moten scattered 6 hits and struck out 11 batters compared to 2 walks in her outing opposite Hewitt-Trussville senior and Mississippi State commit Sara Phillips. The State Tournament MVP finished with 12 strikeouts against 4 hits allowed to Abby J. Johnson, Cammy Herport, Dasia Matt and Moten.

Including the 11-strikeout no-hitter against Thompson in the second round of the elimination bracket, Moten racked up 64 strikeouts compared to 25 hits and 8 runs allowed over 42.2 innings pitched on the two-day tournament.

The Trojans, head coached by Jenny Laird, finished the season with a 45-6 overall record.

Tigers scratch out win from elimination bracket

In their first state tournament action since 2022, the Baldwin County Tigers bounced back from an opening-round loss to Athens (7-2) with a 7-1 win over Oxford in the elimination bracket. However, a 2-0 loss to Gardendale in the second round served as the end of the road for the Class 6A South Regional Champions.

Junior Florida Atlantic commit Madilyn Byrd got it done on both sides of Baldwin County’s elimination-round win with a 3-for-4 output at the plate with 2 RBIs on top of 11 strikeouts against 3 hits over 7 innings pitched.

Lauren Jerkins recorded an RBI and 2 hits in the first-round loss and Byrd finished the tournament with 5 strikeouts over 6 innings in the second round for a total of 26 strikeouts over 21 innings.

The Tigers, head coached by Anthony Cox, finished 22-16 overall.

Dolphins log opening-round win to start state

Despite an opening-round win over Jasper (5-4), Gulf Shores fell in its next two games to find the end of the road in the second round of the elimination bracket. The Dolphins lost to Alexandria (11-3) and Rehobeth (4-2) on Wednesday in their first state tournament berth since 2007.

Gulf Shores started its state tournament by stranding Jasper’s tying run at the plate. Four scoreless innings gave way to a 3-RBI day from Taylor Bjorgum as Tia Titi, Anayia McCutchen, KK Jacks and Rhyleah Gleber all registered 2 hits. Anna-Leigh Price earned the win in the pitcher’s circle and was charged with only 1 earned run.

Bjorgum added a 3-for-4 effort with an RBI in the second-round loss before Price struck out 6 batters over 6 innings in the elimination bracket defeat.

The Dolphins, head coached by Haley Hopkins Steege, finished 37-11-2 overall