After fielding

a few grounders and taking some last-minute batting practice, the Demopolis High School Softball team got on the bus Thursday after noon bound for Montgomery and a date with one of the state’s strongest teams.

East Limestone High School is 43-14 on the season and a “very good ballteam,” Demopolis head coach Joey Browder said. The Lady Tigers and East Limestone will get started at noon today at Lagoon Park in Montgomery.

“They’ve got excellent pitching, they hit the ball consistently; they’re a good, solid team,” he said.

“They’ve got hitters all down the lineup, but they don’t have a lot of blowouts. They’ve pulled out a lot of close games.”

But his praise of the East Limestone Lady Indians shouldn’t betray any doubts that his Lady Tigers are up to the task, Browder said.

“They’ve got their minds made up to go to Montgomery and play ball,” he said. “Our record’s not as good, but we’ve played some tough teams out of Mississippi, and some 5A and 6A teams.”

Browder said his core group of seniors – Molly Barnes, India Chancellor, Dorothy Knapp and Hunter Lewis-have the Lady Tigers’ pumped up for another championship run. The hot-hitting quartet are the last remnants of DHS’s 2003 4A State Championship team, and they aren’t content to finish their high school careers with just one title.

“They’ve got a great attitude,” he said, “and I think everything will spill into the game. We’ve faced a lot of challenges this year and they’ve always risen to the occasion.”

Knapp

and junior hurler Sara Davis will be key to taking out the Indians, Browder said. Knapp has consistently baffled opposing batters all season, and Knapp has a knack for finding a weakness in even the toughest pitchers.

If the Lady Tigers beat East Limestone, they’ll turn around and face the winner of Gulf Shores and Corner’s morning game.

The 4A State Final will be Saturday at 5:30 p.m.