WEST POINT, Ala. – Both the Fairview Lady Aggies and Good Hope Lady Raiders made their way to West Point Monday night for some varsity matchups and the Lady Raiders managed to go home with wins over both their opponents. Good Hope handled Fairview 9-1 in the first game of the night, the Lady Warriors knocked off the Lady Aggies 11-0 and, in the nightcap, the Lady Raiders edged West Point 4-3.
Good Hope 9 – Fairview 1 (varsity softball)
The Lady Raiders took a commanding lead right out of the gate in the first game of the night. Angelina Flanigan singled lead off the top of the first and an RBI single from Rebekah Norris scored her to make it 1-0. A few pitches later, Abby Herring doubled into right field to stretch the lead to 2-0 and Abby Neighbors scored on an error to make it a 3-0 game. Good Hope was able to score on another Fairview error to take a 4-0 lead into the bottom of the first.
Flanigan scored again in the top of the second on an RBI groundout from Sidnie English and Jacqueline Hays was able to cross the plate on another error to extend the Lady Raider lead to 6-0 in the second. Good Hope continued to pull away in the third when Flanigan singled into center field to score Lexi Hays and make it 7-0 and after a scoreless fourth inning, Lexi Hays scored on a sacrifice fly from Jacqueline Hays to stretch the lead to 8-0.
An RBI single off the bat of Bailey Keef made it a 9-0 game in the top of the sixth and even though Fairview was able to get on the board in the bottom of the seventh, it was too little, too late and the Lady Raiders held on to win it 9-1.
Norris (two hits), Flanigan (two hits) and Jacqueline Hays (two hits) each drove in a run for Good Hope and Herring (one hit), Keef (one hit) and English each collected an RBI in the win as well. English tossed all seven innings on the mound for the Lady Raiders, allowing one run on six hits and striking out three.
Alyssa Wooten and Katie Ball each posted a pair of hits for the Lady Aggies in the loss.
West Point 11 – Fairview 0 (varsity softball)
After Carlie Wilkins struck out the first three Lady Aggies she faced, West Point struck first in its half of the opening inning. Bethany Minck scored on a fielder’s choice to make it 1-0 and after an RBI double from Braelee Quinn allowed Kayleigh Hayney to score, the Lady Warriors went into the second inning with a 2-0 lead.
After a scoreless second inning, West Point pulled ahead 3-0 in the third when Bailey Brock scored on a sacrifice bunt from Gracie Thompson and made it 4-0 in the fourth on another sacrifice bunt play.
The Lady Warriors led the way 4-0 going into the fifth but their bats got hot and they were able to end the game before it could get to the sixth. Lexi Shadix and Brock both scored on an error to make it a 6-0 game and an RBI single from Quinn stretched the lead to 7-0. Two more runs crossed the plate on an error to give West Point a 9-0 lead and with a runner on first and two outs, Shadix blasted one over the center field wall to secure an 11-0 win for the Lady Warriors.
Carlie Wilkins got the win on the mound for West Point after tossing all five innings allowing no runs on just three hits and striking out 14 batters. Thompson and Shadix (home run) each racked up three RBIs in the win while Quinn (two hits) and Lexi Kimbril each drove in a pair of runs as well.
Good Hope 4 – West Point 3 (varsity softball)
Good Hope couldn’t have asked for a better start to the game as Angelina Flanigan smashed a leadoff home run over the center field wall to put the Lady Raiders on the board first. West Point starter Carlie Wilkins quickly settled down after that as she got the next three batters out to end the inning.
Good Hope starter Sidnie English gave up consecutive two-out singles to Molly Pendley and Wilkins, but she got Braelee Quinn to fly out to end the inning. Both starters settled down in the next inning, striking out a combined five batters. Abby Philyaw hit a one-out double to left field for Good Hope and with two outs, Jacqueline Hays blooped an RBI single to center field to drive home Philyaw and give the Lady Raiders a 2-run lead.
The Lady Raiders were able to add another run in the fourth. Abby Neighbors led off the inning with a single and after moving two bases on a sacrifice bunt and an error, she stole home to give Good Hope a 3-run lead. After being held scoreless for the first four innings, West Point finally got on the scoreboard in their half of the fifth. Bethany Minck hit a two-out single and advanced to second on a passed ball before Lexi Shadix hit an RBI single to left field to cut the deficit to two.
The Lady Raiders pushed across another run in the seventh. Flanigan led off the inning with a single to left field before stealing second and advancing to third on a West Point error. A suicide squeeze play by English allowed Flanigan to cross home plate and give Good Hope a 4-1 lead.
Things got really interesting in the bottom of the seventh for West Point. Shadix singled, Pendley drew a walk and Wilkins hit a single to load up the bases with no outs. Quinn popped out to Neighbors at short and Flanigan threw out Wilkins at home for the double play, but an error allowed Shadix and Bailey Brock to score and make it a 1-run game with two outs. English got Gracie Thompson to ground out to end the game and Good Hope held on to win the game 4-3.
Flanigan finished the game with three hits and an RBI for Good Hope. Hays added a hit and an RBI. English finished with an RBI and Neighbors and Philyaw each chipped in with a hit. English gave up nine hits and one earned run, walked three and struck out nine.
For West Point, Shadix finished the game with three hits and an RBI. Wilkins added three hits in the contest as well and Minck, Pendley and Thompson each ended up with a hit. Wilkins gave up six hits and two earned runs, walked two and struck out 12.
Monday night’s games were the last for teams across the state as schools prepare to shut down for at least two and a half weeks to combat the spread of coronavirus.
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