Good Hope bested Fairview, 6-2, on Tuesday. The Lady Raiders will take on top-seeded West Point Wednesday at 4:30. / Nick Griffin for The Tribune
HANCEVILLE – The top-seeded West Point Lady Warriors and the Lady Eagles of Cold Springs kicked off day two of the Cullman County Softball Tournament on Tuesday with a game that was tight early on but saw West Point pull away in the fourth, winning 8-4.
Cold Springs standout Drew Sanders struck first with a solo home run over the center-field fence to put the Lady Eagles up 1-0, but West Point responded quickly in the bottom of the first. After a couple of errors that put runners on base, Makayla Brown gave the Lady Warriors a 2-1 lead with an RBI single back up the middle.
After a quiet second inning, West Point added two more runs in the third on an infield error and an RBI bunt single from Hope Shedd. Cold Springs made a big push in the top of the fourth after a hit batter, a walk and an error loaded the bases and Shay Sellers brought home two on a line drive into center. Hayden Goodwin added another run to tie the game at four with an RBI single, but the Lady Eagles grounded out in their next two at bats and couldn’t take the lead.
West Point re-took control in the bottom of the fourth, starting with an RBI double from Avery McClure that put the Lady Warriors ahead 5-4. Two more runs came across for West Point on an outfield error and Olivia Ball made it 8-4 with an RBI sac fly that scored Molly Pendley from third.
Carlie Wilkins kept the Cold Springs bats quiet for the rest of the game and came away with the win after going all seven innings, collecting five strikeouts and allowing four runs on six hits. McClure led the Lady Warriors with two hits and an RBI in the win.
West Point advanced to face the Good Hope Lady Raiders Wednesday at 4:30.
Good Hope 6, Fairview 2
The second matchup in Tuesday’s slate of Cullman County Tournament games featured the Good Hope Lady Raiders taking on the Fairview Lady Aggies. Good Hope struck early in the bottom of the first, scoring on a throwing error in a rundown.
Abby Phillyaw added to the Lady Raiders’ lead with an RBI single in the bottom of the second. After Good Hope added two more runs to stretch the lead to 4-0, Fairview got two runs on the board thanks to a throwing error at third base that cut the lead to two.
Good Hope quickly answered in the bottom of the inning when Erika Woodall knocked a line drive over the fence in left field. The two-run shot put the Lady Raiders up 6-2 and secured the win, allowing them to continue advancing through the winner’s bracket.
Good Hope will take on top-seeded West Point Wednesday at 4:30 and both teams will look to hang on to their spots in the winning side of the bracket.
Cold Springs 10, Holly Pond 5
The Cold Springs Lady Eagles fought off the Lady Broncos of Holly Pond in the Cullman County Softball Tournament’s day two nightcap behind big offensive performances from the heart of the lineup.
Holly Pond got off to a fast start when Kolby Holcombe plated two with a home run in the bottom of the first. Madison Rickman quickly added two more in the inning on an RBI double and the Broncos had a 4-0 advantage right out of the gate.
It was all Eagles after that, however. Anna Kate Voce, Crimson Gann and Drew Sanders each collected three hits on the night and helped lead a speedy comeback over Holly Pond, along with Emily Williams, Kylon Hamby and Lacey Rice, who added two more hits each. Voce, Gann and Hamby all picked up two RBIs in the win with Victoria Freeman knocking in a run as well. A single from Hayden Goodwin brought the total to an explosive 17 hits for Cold Springs on the night.
The loss eliminated the Lady Broncos from tournament contention. The Lady Eagles advanced to take on the winner of Fairview and Hanceville Wednesday night at 6.
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