LAWRENCEVILLE, Ga. – The Talladega softball season came to a close on Friday evening following a 10-9 loss at the hands of Crowley's Ridge in the CAC Tournament.
 
A leadoff walk began the ballgame, and three batters later, Rayna Davis got the Tornadoes out to a 2-0 lead with her team-leading fifth home run of the season. Talladega went right back to work in the second inning, with Gabriele Garcia capping a three-run frame to push the lead to 5-0.
 
The Pioneer offense came to life in the home second, striking for four runs before tying the game in in the bottom of the third. Crowley's Ridge added three more runs in the fifth to take a 7-4 lead, but the Tornadoes refused to go quietly.
 
Davis came away with a one-out double in the fifth, and Ashli-Nicole Gutierrez walked to provide Talladega with the threat of a big inning. K'yanna Wimbish tripled to plate both runners and cut the deficit to one, but Crowley's Ridge answered with a two-run home half to keep the lead at three.
 
Garcia and Davis opened the seventh with back-to-back doubles, and Elisa Clay followed with a single to right. A walk and a sacrifice fly again brought Talladega within a run, but the Tornadoes were unable to scratch across the tying run.
 
Davis finished her day with a three-hit performance, while Wimbish, Garcia and Clay recorded two apiece. Wimbish and Davis each drove in three runs, with the latter scoring three times, as well.
 
The Tornadoes close out the season and their first season in the Continental Athletic Conference with a record of 11-23.