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The Ariton Lady Purple Cats traveled to Skipperville on Monday for the first day of the Class 2A, Area 3 Softball tournament and finished the day 2-0.

Ariton started things off with a resounding 18-0 victory over Abbeville in the first round. Lizzy Faircloth led Ariton at the plate, going 2-for-2 with a pair of doubles, three RBIs and one run. Macileigh Bragg, Nya Allen, Beth Dixon, Reese Peters and Brianna Acahua scored two runs each, while Caitlyn Webb scored three runs. Faircloth pitched three innings and struck out nine batters, while giving up no hits or runs as she earned the no-hitter and shutout.

In the next round, Ariton toppled host GW Long by a score of 6-5. Ariton went into the sixth inning trailing 4-2 when Faircloth was walked with the bases loaded driving Allen home to cut the lead to one run. Bragg then belted a two-run homer to give the Lady Cats a 5-4 lead.

Long responded by tying things up in the bottom of the sixth but Ariton retook the lead in the top of the seventh. Facing two outs, Dixon scored on a passed ball to give Ariton the 6-5 lead. The Lady Cats then held Long scoreless in the bottom of the seventh to secure the win.

Bragg went 1-for-2 at the plate with a home run, two RBIs and two runs. Dixon pitched all seven innings and gave up 12 hits and four earned runs.

On Tuesday, Ariton will play GW Long in the area championship at 5 p.m.