Priceville clinches regional berth

The Priceville softball team won the area championship by defeating Good Hope 7-0 Friday in the championship round.

The Lady Bulldogs won their first two games on Thursday to face Good Hope in the championship round Friday. Good Hope won the first game 9-4, but Priceville only had to win one of the two games to clinch the area title.

Priceville will face the Area 16 runner-up at 3:30 p.m. Friday, May 13.

PHS 1, Fairview 0

Kara Haynes’ RBI single that drove in Shayna Bond in the fifth inning was the difference as Priceville won its first area tournament game May 5.

Bond drew a leadoff walk in the fifth inning. Haley Gray doubled to move Bond to third, setting up Haynes to hit a base hit to left field.

Meaghan Bond pitched the two-hit shutout with two strikeouts and three walks. She and Gray both had two hits for the game.

Coach Christopher Odom said they beat Fairview all three times, each by just one run.

“I knew if we could score with the way Meaghan was pitching, we could win,” Odom said. “We played great defensively.”

PHS 5, Good Hope 3

The Lady Bulldogs took advantage of three Good Hope errors as Priceville to advance to the area championship.

Priceville scored two runs in the first, one in the third and two more in the fifth to build a 5-0 lead. Good Hope tried to rally in the seventh inning, but Meaghan Bond was just too good in the game.

“We hadn’t beaten Good Hope in two tries, but one of the parents told me, ‘Third time is a charm, coach,’” Odom said. “He was right.”

Meaghan Bond racked up nine strikeouts despite giving up eight hits and three walks. She also had a hit, a run and two RBIs.

Mandy Bunnell had a single, double, walk and scored all three times she was on base. Danielle Richard had a double, a walk and a run.

Those were the only four hits for Priceville in the win.

Amber Johnson and Brittney Marks both had RBIs.