GOOD HOPE – Good Hope pulled off a dramatic seventh inning, coming from three runs down to stun playoff-bound J.B. Pennington 4-3 Monday in their final game of the season.
The Raiders were handcuffed by Pennington pitching, getting just two hits and striking out 11 times through six innings. Ethan Williams of Pennington struck out the Raiders in the fifth and sixth in a relief role.
But Williams got into trouble in the seventh after he started the inning with a strikeout. Warren Creel was hit by a pitch, Malachi Holt singled and Houston White walked to load the bases.
A walk to Devon Gowens forced in Creel with the first Good Hope run. A grounder up the middle by Austin Eakes was mishandled by the shortstop with two runs coming in to tie the game. Gowens was thrown out at third while Eakes made it safe to second.
Zach Isbell got walked by reliever Cade Timmerman, bringing Gage Henke to the plate. Henke ripped a single to right with Eakes beating the throw home for a dramatic finish. The Raiders overcame 12 strikeouts to get two hits in the final inning to go with two walks and hit batsman.
Holt got the win for the Raiders. The senior allowed no runs on one hit and had eight strikeouts through the fifth. In the last two innings, Holt allowed the Tigers three runs on three hits and one strikeout.
Two errors by the Raiders helped the Tigers produce two runs in the seventh to extend their lead to 3-0 at the time.
Holt had two hits for Mitch Witcher's Raiders while Matt Hancock doubled and Henke singled. Dawson Blaxton had two of the Tigers' four hits, a pair of singles.
The Tigers will look to rebound when they open the 3A state playoffs this weekend at Colbert Heights.
Good Hope softball
Swinging a good bat was the key for the Lady Raiders to roll past Holly Pond 13-2 Monday evening and take out a little frustration after losing the county tournament on their home diamond last week to West Point.
Good Hope broke the game open with eight runs in the third inning on seven hits. Derekia Tankersly started the hit parade in the inning with a single, followed by a base hit from Alex Stansell. With one out, Abby Neighbors singled in Josie McDonald with Tankersley and Stansell scoring on a triple by Mykale Lowe.
A ground out by Haley Norris drove in Neighbors with Lowe coming in on a single by Skylar Tucker. McDonald returned to the batter's box and singled with a double from Tankersley breaking the game open. It was 11-2 Good Hope heading to the fourth.
After giving up two runs in the third, McDonald retired Holly Pond in order in the fourth with Good Hope scoring two in their half of the inning on a two-run single by Erica Woodall.
McDonald allowed a hit from Lexi White with one out in the Holly Pond fifth, then retired the next two batters by a strikeout and ground out to end the game via the run rule.
Kolby Holcombe, Lili Harris and Katie Burnham joined White in getting hits for Holly Pond, each with a single.
Good Hope is scheduled to host Dora in 4A, Area 10 play Tuesday, travel to West Point Thursday and host the Good Hope Invitational at the high school field Friday and Saturday.
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