HOLLY POND, Ala. — Good Hope traveled to take on Holly Pond Thursday looking to snap a three-game losing streak while the Lady Broncos aimed to keep things going in the right direction after their road win over Fairview Tuesday. In the end, it was the Lady Raiders that emerged victorious, rolling past Holly Pond 9-1.
Holly Pond starter Emma Spitzer got off to a strong start, retiring the first three Good Hope batters on just three pitches to end the top of the first. The Lady Broncos looked to strike first in their half of the inning as Taylor Simmons led off the with a double and got moved to third on a groundout by Aubrey Armstrong, but Good Hope starter Sidnie English got the final two outs of the inning to get out of the early jam.
The third inning saw the Lady Raiders get on the scoreboard first. Lexi Hays hit a 1-out double to left field and Angelina Flanigan drew a walk. A sacrifice bunt by Jacqueline Hays moved them over to second and third and English lined a 2-run double into center field to give Good Hope a 2-0 lead. The Lady Raiders added to their lead in the next inning as a leadoff double by Abby Neighbors later led to an RBI ground out from Bailey Keef and after Abby Philyaw reached on a Holly Pond throwing error, Lexi Hays hit an RBI double to left field to increase the lead to 4-0.
The Lady Broncos got a two-out rally going in their half of the fifth. Ashley Duke and Lillian Ruth Perkins hit back to back singles and a base hit from Madison Cothren cut the Lady Raiders lead to 4-1 and got Holly Pond on the board. Abby Herring reached on another Lady Broncos throwing error to start out the sixth inning for Good Hope and Keef moved her over to second with a sacrifice bunt. Then with two outs, Hays continued her hot hitting with an RBI single that gave the Lady Raiders a 5-1 lead.
Good Hope pulled away in the seventh inning after getting a rally cooking with two outs. Neighbors and Herring hit consecutive singles and Keef hit an RBI single to make it 6-1. Herring scored on a wild pitch and Lexi Hays finished out her day very strong with a 2-run double to center field that push the lead to 9-1. Holly Pond looked to get something going in its half of the innings when the Lady Broncos put runners on second and third with one out, but English got the final two outs of the game to help seal the 8-run win for the Lady Raiders.
Lexi Hays finished with four hits and four RBIs for Good Hope (8-5). Keef and English each added a hit and a pair of RBIs in the win and Neighbors and Herring each collected two hits of their won. English allowed just one run on eight hits and struck out four in the complete game win.
For Holly Pond (3-4-1), Perkins finished with three hits. Cothren added an RBI single and Simmons, Armstrong, Duke and Ciera James each collected a hit in the contest.
Good Hope will travel to take on Huntsville Monday while Holly Pond prepares to participate in this year’s Tiger Pride Classic at J.B. Pennington Friday.
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