Softball

Good Hope’s softball team is right where it wants to be.

The Lady Raiders kicked off the Class 4A West Central Regional Tournament with a pair of victories in Tuscaloosa, putting themselves in great position to earn a spot in the state tournament.

Good Hope (31-9) defeated Handley 11-6 on Thursday before racking up a 4-1 win against Hokes Bluff on Friday. The latter contest was postponed just after midnight — inclement weather forced lengthy delays at all regional tournaments on Thursday — and was officially ruled a five-inning victory on Friday morning due to time limits.

The No. 7 Lady Raiders will play No. 4 White Plains at 1:30 p.m. for a shot to go to Montgomery.

A loss would require a victory later in the day to accomplish the same task.

Good Hope trailed Handley 2-1 before scoring six runs in the third inning to nab a 7-2 advantage.

Bailey Swann’s two-run single spearheaded the huge frame, while Skylar Tucker recorded an RBI hit by pitch as well. The Lady Raiders garnered the other three runs of the inning on a wild pitch and an error by Handley.

Sidnie English corralled a two-run double in the fourth inning and an RBI single in the sixth inning.

Morgan Goodwin also notched an RBI single in the fifth inning.

Goodwin finished with three hits and an RBI, while English (three RBIs) and Swann (two RBIs) tallied two hits apiece.

Jacqueline Hays (one hit), Gracie Ray (one hit) and Tucker (RBI) also contributed.

English struck out six batters in the circle. She scattered six hits and allowed just one earned run.

In the second game, English had an RBI single in the first inning before Goodwin secured a sacrifice fly in the second frame to put the Lady Raiders up 2-1.

English nabbed an RBI double in the fifth inning and later came around to score on an error to push Good Hope’s lead to 4-1. The game was postponed shortly afterward.

English (two RBIs), Abby Hunt, Kailee Shiklee and Tucker provided two hits apiece.

Angelina Flanagan (one hit), Swann (one hit) and Goodwin (RBI) also secured contributions.

English scattered four hits and two strikeouts in the circle.