GOOD HOPE, Ala. – Area softball tournaments continued across the state on Tuesday and the home-standing Good Hope Lady Raiders maintained their spot in the winner’s bracket of the 4A Area 12 tournament after routing Ashville 16-0 in five innings. Sidnie English tossed the first four innings for the Lady Raiders, striking out three and allowing just four hits before Abby Hunt came on for the final inning and allowed just one hit while securing the win for Good Hope.
The Lady Raiders scored in all five innings and racked up 19 hits against Ashville, starting with a lead off single from Morgan Goodwin. Jacqueline Hays drove Goodwin in to score just a few pitches later with a single into right field that made it 1-0 and the hits just kept coming for Good Hope. Hays scored on a passed ball and just a couple pitches later, an RBI single from English made it 3-0.
Hays doubled in the top of the second to stretch the lead to 4-0, a sacrifice fly off the bat of Skylar Tucker put the Lady Raiders up 5-0 and a Bailey Swann RBI single made it a 6-0 game after two innings. Rebecca Norris scored on a passed ball in the top of the third to put the seventh run on the board and Tucker made it 8-0 in the top of the fourth when she scored on a fielder’s choice.
Good Hope put the game away in the top of the fifth. A 2-run single from Tucker extended the lead to 10-0 and later in the inning, a sacrifice fly from Angelina Flanagan allowed Tucker to score and make it 11-0. Abby Hunt singled into left field to bring in another run for the Lady Raiders and a few pitches later, English scored on an error to go up 13-0. RBI singles from Goodwin and Tucker, along with a bases-loaded walk, made it a 16-0 game and Good Hope cruised to a lopsided win at home.
Nearly every Lady Raider in the lineup collected multiple hits in the win. Goodwin (one RBI) was 4-for-4 at the plate and Tucker (four RBIs), Swann (one RBI) and Norris each posted three hits. Hays (two hits) drove in three runs for Good Hope and Abby Hunt (one hit) drove in a pair of runs. English (two hits) and Flanagan each finished with an RBI in the win.
The Lady Raiders will face Ashville in a rematch Wednesday at 4:30 for the 4A Area 12 title.
Cullman 4 – Decatur 2
After falling behind 1-0 in the bottom of the first, Cullman trailed Decatur most of the way in its opening round area tournament matchup but found a way to come from behind late in the game and stay in the winner’s bracket. Trailing 2-0 going into the sixth, the Lady Bearcats plated four runs in the top half of the inning to go ahead 4-2 and they held on in the seventh to defeat the Lady Red Raiders.
Faith Guest (two hits) led Cullman with two RBIs and Taylor Au drove in a run as well. Carlie Burnham added a hit for the Lady Bearcats and Ashlen Heatherly collected a pair of hits in the win.
Hartselle 16 – Cullman 5
The game was tied at 2 going into the bottom of the third but Hartselle tacked on six runs in the bottom half of the inning to take a commanding lead and pulled away to win it 16-5.
Olivia Hudson (one hit) and Alex Stansell (one hit) each drove in a pair of runs for the Lady Bearcats and Faith Guest led Cullman with two hits.
Meek 15 – Decatur Heritage 4
The Lady Tigers led by just one run after the first inning and slowly added to their lead as the game went on but pulled away for good after scoring four runs in the sixth and five in the seventh to top Decatur Heritage 15-4.
Emma Fincher led Meek with three hits and Abby Phillips (two hits) led the way with three RBIs. Brooke Cleghorn (two RBIs), LaKota Alden and Savannah Smith each collected a pair of hits in the win as well.
Falkville 16 – Meek 7
After topping Decatur Heritage in their opening round game, Meek fell to Falkville in the next round to drop into the loser’s bracket. The Lady Tigers plated six runs in the bottom of the fourth to trim the lead to two, but it wasn’t enough to overcome the Lady Blue Devils.
Emma Fincher (two RBIs) led Meek with three RBIs and Bailee Fincher (one hit) drove in a pair of runs as well.
Sumiton Christian 8 – Cold Springs 0
Cold Springs was shut out in its opening round game against Sumiton Christian on Tuesday and held to just four hits in the loss. After a scoreless first inning, Sumiton Christian scored one in the second and two in the third to go up 3-0 before pulling away in the fifth and sixth.
Hayden Goodwin collected a pair of hits for the Lady Eagles and Emma Black and AK Voce finished with hits as well.
New Hope 10 – Holly Pond 0
The Lady Broncos fell behind 3-0 after the first inning and couldn’t get the bats going for a response after that and New Hope pulled away to win it 10-0. Taylor Simmons, Kaylee Stallings, Lexy Smith and Madison Heatherly collected the only hits of the game for Holly Pond.
J.B. Pennington 9 – Hanceville 0
The Lady Bulldogs were shut out in their first game of the 3A Area 12 tournament by J.B. Pennington Lady Tigers after they couldn’t quite get the bats going. Hanceville would move on to face Susan Moore later Tuesday in an elimination game.
Susan Moore 10 – Hanceville 0
The season came to an end at 8-14 for the Hanceville Lady Bulldogs Tuesday night after suffering a 10-0 loss to Susan Moore in the loser’s bracket of the 3A Area 12 tournament. Hanceville was held to just one hit in the loss
Brindlee Mountain 8 – Vinemont 6
The Lady Eagles’ season closed at 2-20 Tuesday night in the 3A Area 13 tournament after falling in a tight game to Brindlee Mountain 8-6.
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