Chloe Taylor’s walk-off single lifts Wetumpka over Athens, Indians win second Class 6A title

Wetumpka’s Chloe Taylor had just reached first base as she saw Mari Beth Parette cross home plate in the corner of her eye.

What she didn’t see was her dugout emptying, swarming and then mobbing the sophomore left fielder after blasting the winning hit deep into center field.

“I got a scratch on my elbow and my knee (in the game-winning pile),” Taylor said. “But it was worth it. I loved it. Every moment.”

The top-ranked Indians rallied for a game-tying run in the sixth and then found the most opportune moment to clinch a 2-1 walk-off victory over defending champion and second-ranked Athens in Friday’s Class 6A championship game at Oxford’s Choccolocco Park.

“Hats off to Athens, what a ball club, they got a bunch of studs over there,” Wetumpka coach Daryl Otwell said. “Defending state champions but Chloe Taylor made a great play in the outfield and then, what an exclamation mark, for the sophomore to get the hit for the walk-off.”

Wetumpka (54-6-1) wins its second Blue Map in program history and the first under Otwell, who led fellow Elmore County program Holtville before being hired at Wetumpka four years ago.

Due to Thursday’s weather delays, Wetumpka was forced to play the winners bracket final today and earned a walk-off 10-8 victory over Spanish Fort. Meanwhile, Athens won three straight elimination games to make its way into the title game.

“I didn’t think we played that great yesterday,” Otwell said. “Played a really good Oxford team, up on Hazel Green and cut it close, and today – hats off to Spanish Fort – that was another close game where we had to come back and walk it off.

A pitcher’s duel erupted through the first five innings -- Wetumpka’s Mya Holt even carrying a perfect game into the third and no-hitter into the sixth -- and neither team could plate a run until back-to-back frames in the sixth inning.

Wetumpka garnered four hits and left eight runners stranded during the five-inning stretch, while Athens mustered only three baserunners due to pinpoint defense from the Indians.

“They’re awesome and I know they’re always going to back me up,” Holt said. “I love my defense. It doesn’t matter who is on the field, I know they’re going to make plays behind me.”

Athens (47-11) was the first to notch a run, Abby Tucker scoring on an RBI double from Haley Waggoner in the top of the sixth inning, but the Indians responded with their own run as pinch runner Chandler Brooks scored on a wild pitch.

The seventh inning saw Athens’ Cori Campbell lead off on a single, and a sacrifice bunt and sacrifice fly moved her to third before a groundout ended the inning. The Golden Eagles went down in order in the final inning.

Wetumpka had an opportunity for a walk-off win in the seventh, but a groundout ended the inning with two runners stranded.

In the final inning, Mari Beth Parette was walked to open the bottom half of the inning, followed by a single from Riley Dismukes, and Chloe Taylor drove a deep shot into center field to score Parette for the walk-off RBI single.

“Mari Beth (Parett), I was so proud she got on and I knew I needed to do my job,” Dismukes said. “Glad I got a hard hit and believed in Chloe (Taylor). When she hit the ball, I was so overwhelmed and knew we had it then and there.”

Holt was named Class 6A tournament MVP following an epic performance that included 29 total innings pitched through four games, allowing 12 runs – seven earned – off 20 hits and striking out 20 and walking only two. She was also 8-for-11 at the plate with four RBIs.

Joining Holt on the all-tournament team were teammates Ashlynn Campbell and Lily Davenport and Athen’s Morgan Stiles, Abby Tucker and Haley Waggoner.

“It feels great and I’m glad I could help my team out,” Holt said. “I’m so proud of my team and they deserve this. We’ve worked all season for this and we finally got it.”