The Airline Lady Vikings clinched the District 1-5A softball championship with a 15-0 victory over the Haughton Lady Bucs on Tuesday afternoon at Haughton.
Airline improved to 21-4 overall and 11-0 in district. The Lady Vikings lead second-place Evangel Christian (18-7, 8-2) by two games with one to play.
The district title is Airline’s second in as many years. Last season, the Lady Vikings shared it with Evangel.
Airiine closes out its district schedule Thursday at home against Byrd. The Lady Vikings are scheduled to play in the Alexandria Senior High tournament this weekend before finishing the regular season at three-time defending Class 4A state champion North DeSoto on Tuesday.
Airline is No. 6 in the Class 5A power rankings, according to LouisianaPreps.com.
Haughton dropped to 12-9 overall and 5-4 in district. At No. 23 in the power rankings, the Lady Bucs are in good shape to make the playoffs. Haughton has four games left in the regular season.
The Airline-Haughton game started 3.5 hours earlier than originally scheduled because of the impending heavy rain.
It took the Lady Vikings’ three innings to end it via the mercy rule. Airline scored 11 runs in the top of the third.
Caroline Easom hit a grand slam home run in the third. Maddie Ennis led off the inning with a homer.
Makenzie Chaffin and Brooklyn Brandon also hit home runs in the game. Brandon and Chaffin also had doubles along with Jessica Grubbs, who finished with two hits. Jessica Baffuto went 2-for-3.
Chaffin had three RBI. Baffuto, Grubbs and Lexi Gray had two apiece.
Raelin Chaffin gave up one hit and struck out six in the three innings.
Shelby Hensley had Haughton’s lone hit, a double.
NOTE: The above report is based on teams’ official GameChanger accounts.
— Russell Hedges, rhedges@bossierpress.com
