The Zion Chapel Rebels split day one of the AISA Class 2A South Central Regional at the Troy Sportsplex to advance to day two of the double-elimination tournament.

The Rebels began the day with a 5-3 loss to Horseshoe Bend and followed it up by a dominating 18-2 win over Holy Spirit.

“I expected for it to go the way it did,” said Rebels coach George Boswell. “I was hoping we would win, but I knew it would be a tight ball game with Horseshoe Bend. They are a good team. We have a longer road but I like our chances.”

After starting strong in game one things began to fall apart for the Rebels.

“It is something that has hurt us all year, extra outs,” Boswell said. “We gave them extra opportunities and we didn’t make the routine plays like we should.”

Both teams’ pitchers were on their mark early in game one. Neither offense picked up any hits and there were a combined six strikeouts in the first three innings.

The Rebels broke through in the top of the fourth inning, sending six batters to the plate and scoring two runs, Haleigh Dewberry got the inning started with a single and after Caroline Brown was hit by a pitch with one out, Billie Copeland singled driving in Dewberry and Brown, who scored on a throwing error.

After Copeland got out of the fourth unscathed, the Generals offense got things going in the fifth.

The Generals sent seven batters to the plate and connected on their first three hits of the ball game. Rebecca Norrell reached on an error to begin the inning. Cheyanna Howard followed up with a single, and on an error by the Rebel first baseman, Norrell came around to score their first run of the game. With two outs in the inning, Hannah Adcock singled in both Howard and Chasity Mitchell to give the Generals a one run lead.

The Generals continued to hit hard in the sixth inning. The first two batters reached on base hits and Howard singled both of them in to increase the Generals lead to 5-2 heading into the seventh inning.

The Rebels scored one run in the seventh when Copeland singled and came around to score on a stolen base attempt by Ivey Amlong.

The Rebels had a total of five hits led by both Copeland and Armlong, who finished with two hits. Dewberry had the lone other hit for the Rebels.

The Rebels finished game two with 18 hits and turned them into 18 runs.

“I really liked how they responded,” Boswell said. “They stepped up and played their best game. I think we were a little hung over from the loss earlier, but we got the sticks going and I was proud of them.”

Kinley Parker took the ball in game two for the Rebels and pitcher her team into day two of the tournament. Parker lasted seven innings while allowing two runs.

“I am proud of Kinley,” Boswell said. “She has worked hard. She had to overcome an injury to get here, and she has done that. I couldn’t be happier for her to get the win.”

Holy Spirit got on the board first in the bottom of the second inning. They sent four batters to the plate and picked up one single.

The Rebels didn’t waste any time getting that run back. The Rebels got lead off doubles by Parker and Dewberry. Copeland drove in herself along with Dewberry with a two-run home run to left field to give the Rebels a 3-1 lead.

The Rebels blew the game wide open in the fourth when they scored 11 runs on 13 hits. In all, the Rebels sent 16 batters to the plate. Dewberry, Carter, Copeland, Amlong, Qualls, Stokes and Brown all had run-producing hits.

The Rebels closed out their scoring with two more runs in the sixth off the bats of Lexy Rugg and Parker.

With the win the Rebels advance in the losers bracket and will begin play at 9 a.m. today.