After dropping a round one match against Bessemer, Pike Liberal Arts School battled through the losing bracket and played for a spot in the state title game, where the Patriots lost 5-0 to the Glenwood Gators.

Glenwood took an early lead with a solo homerun in the first inning while the Patriot offense sputtered out of the gate.

Pike did not get a base runner on until the third inning when Ashelyn Atwell reached first on an infield single.

A walk and a fielder’s choice moved the runners to second and third but a flyout ended the threat.

In the bottom half, the Gators got a runner on and then the same player responsible for the first home run launched another one to give Glenwood a 3-0 lead.

Pike put another pair of runners on base in the fourth inning with two outs but a groundout once again left the Patriots stranded.

Reliever Dannah Dawson entered the game for Pike and worked a quick fourth inning but the Patriots were sent down in order in the fifth.

The Gators added some insurance in the bottom of the fifth, scoring two runs off of three hits, a walk and an error to extend their lead out to 5-0.

Down to their last six outs, Haleigh Dewberry reached with a single but was later called out on interference during a single by Grace Rushing. Pike was unable to move a runner into scoring position and the inning flipped over.

Dawson faced just three batters and the Patriots entered the seventh inning looking for a rally. Sarah Elizabeth Calhoun registered a one-out single but that’s all the Patriots could do as the final out was recorded and Glenwood clinched a spot in the championship game against Edgewood.