Good Hope's Tyler Legg went four and two-thirds innings for the Raiders, allowing just two hits and racking up nine strikeouts from the Broncos. Legg was also 3-for-3 at the plate and led the team with three RBIs. / Nick Griffin
CULLMAN COUNTY – Good Hope’s softball and baseball teams had home games Friday afternoon, and the Raiders split their matchups with the Fairview Lady Aggies and Holly Pond Broncos.
The Lady Raiders fell to the visiting Lady Aggies 11-6 thanks to a strong offensive output from Fairview. Fairview racked up 14 hits in the win including 3-for-3 performances from Katie Ball and Kaitlyn Benson. Ball and Benson brought in three and two RBIs, respectively.
Ally Hogeland got the start on the mound for the Lady Aggies and outside of a three-run sixth inning, the right-hander held Good Hope’s bats in check. Hogeland went all seven for Fairview, allowing six runs on 10 hits and collecting nine strikeouts.
The Lady Aggies blew the game open in the top of the second inning when they scored six to take an early 7-0 lead. Abby Duke brought in two runs on a double into center field, Katie Ball doubled into left to score two more and Devan Fulmer brought another run home on a double down the left field line.
Good Hope managed to manufacture some runs here and there but didn’t find a rhythm offensively until the sixth. The Lady Raiders got one run across on an error and followed it up with two RBI singles from Erika Woodall and Abby Neighbors, cutting the Fairview lead to 11-6. That was as close as Good Hope got. Hogeland closed out the seventh with two strikeouts and secured the road win for the Lady Aggies.
The Lady Raiders and Lady Aggies will be back in action for a rematch at Fairview High School on April 2.
Good Hope's Legg pitches gem in 10-0 win over Holly Pond
Just a few feet away on the baseball field, the visiting Holly Pond Broncos and the Raiders were duking it out.
The Raiders scored early and often in a five inning, 10-0 shutout of the Broncos. Tyler Legg led the way for Good Hope, starting on the mound and hitting third. Legg went four and two-thirds innings for the Raiders, allowing just two hits and racking up nine strikeouts. Legg was also 3-for-3 at the plate and led the team with three RBIs.
The Raiders got their offense started in the first inning. Back-to-back singles by Austin Eakes and Preston Bagwell, plus a Legg walk, loaded the bases with no outs, but Matt Hancock and Josiah Cofer grounded into back-to-back fielder's choices, leaving John Corneglio just one out away from getting out of the inning; then he walked Harper Chiaranda on four straight pitches to force home the first run of the game.
Bailey Quick hit a one-out single in their next at-bats, then Eakes got hit by the pitch; Bagwell moved them to third and second, respectively, on a sacrifice bunt. Legg then lined a two-run single to center field to make it 3-0. Holly Pond got its first hit of the game on a single by Charlie Huddleston, who had both of his team’s hits in the game.
Chiaranda hit a lead-off single in the bottom of the third, then Jager Burns reached on an error by Thomas Bell. Matt Dixon hit a two-run single to left field to increase the Broncos’ lead to 5-0. Bagwell added an RBI groundout and Legg hit an RBI double in the inning. In the fifth inning, Hancock drew a base-loaded walk, Bagwell scored on a passed ball and Cofer hit an RBI single to make the final score, 10-0.
All but one Good Hope player collected at least one hit in the game, led by Legg. Dixon added a hit and a pair of RBIs. Cofer collected two hits and an RBI. Bagwell, Hancock and Chiaranda each added a hit and an RBI. Legg threw just 57 pitches in the game and threw first-pitch strikes to 11 out of the 17 hitters he faced. He induced two ground balls and two fly balls; the rest were strikeouts.
Good Hope improves to 5-7 overall and will play Addison in the Good Hope/Hanceville Invitational, which starts next Tuesday.
The Broncos fall to 3-11 overall and will travel to New Hope on Saturday.
After the game, Raiders Head Coach Mitch Witcher said, “We struggled the other day, let one slip away, we didn’t add every inning like we’re supposed to. Today we added every inning, whether we had to bunt them over or get a timely hit. I think Tyler Legg had another good day at the plate and did another good job on the mound for us, played solid defense. I think we had one error that I can recall, but anytime these guys come out here and they stay disciplined at the plate and put it in play that’s a good day,” Witcher said. “Our philosophy is we’ve got to get better at the plate every day and we were disciplined today, took some walks. I don’t think we had any hit batters, but we were aggressive when we had to be, and we put in play and made them make plays.”
PREP SOFTBALL: Holly Pond defeats Susan Moore, 8-2
HOLLY POND – Holly Pond took on Susan Moore at home, looking to extend its winning streak to three in a row. The Lady Broncos rallied to take the lead late and pulled away to take the game, 8-2.
Marisa Bryan reached on a Kolby Holcombe error to lead off the game for the Lady Bulldogs. Then, Natalie Morton reached on an infield single. Haley Lang brought them both in with a two-run single up the middle to give Susan Moore a 2-0 lead. Kaylee Stallings drew a one-out walk for Holly Pond in its half, then Holcombe reached on an error. Maddie Heatherly made it a 2-1 game with an RBI single up the middle.
The Lady Broncos were held scoreless for the next two innings before getting their offense back on track in the bottom of the fourth on back-to-back solo home runs by Kalliann Perkins and Madison Rickman; that gave them a 3-2 lead. Heatherly added an RBI groundout in the fifth to make it 4-2. Katie Burnham hit an RBI single, Holcombe added a two-run double and Heatherly hit an RBI double of her own in the sixth as the Lady Broncos went on to win, 8-2.
Heatherly and Holcombe each collected two hits and finished with a combined five RBIs for Holly Pond. Perkins added two hits and an RBI of her own. Burnham and Rickman each had a hit and an RBI. Taylor Simmons, Gracie Bryan and Presley Marks each collected a hit. Bryan gave up two hits and two runs in the first inning; after that, she settled down, allowing just three hits the rest of the way and finishing with 10 strikeouts in her complete game win.
The Lady Broncos are now 6-10 overall on the season, and their next game is not until April 2, when they will host Danville.
Friday night scoring roundup
Hayden 23, West Point 5 (BB)
West Point 6, Hayden 3 (BB) DH Thursday
West Point 2, Albertville 1 (BB)
Albertville 15, West Point 5 (BB) DH Friday
Warriors 10-8
Next game: March 26- Gulf Coast Classic @ Bay Minette
Jasper 9, Cullman 0 (VB Tennis)
Bearcats 6-3
Next game: April 2 @ Hartselle
Jasper 5, Cullman 4 (VG Tennis)
Lady Bearcats 4-6
Next game: April 2 @ Hartselle
Cold Springs 16, Holt 0 (SB)
Northside 4, Cold Springs 1
Lady Eagles 11-5, ranked no. 8 in Class 2A
Next game: Curry in the Bill Collins Classic @ Carbon Hill Saturday morning at 9
Cullman 11, Hanceville 5 (SB)
Lady Bearcats 2-12
Lady Bulldogs 2-10
Next game: Cullman will play at home against Brewer on April 2, while Hanceville will play @ Vinemont on April 2.
Cullman 5, Hazel Green 0 (VG SC)
Lady Bearcats 7-5-3
Next game: Brewer at home March 31
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