The Hartselle clinched the regular season area championship behind a superb pitching performance by Blayne Godfrey in defeating Muscle Shoals 2-0.

“It’s always great to win the regular season area and be able to host the area tournament in front of the home crowd,” Hartselle head coach Christopher Reeves said. “It’s become the expectation at Hartselle to host the area tournament at the end of every year, and it’s great to continue that.”

Godfrey struck out 18 of the 22 batters she faced over seven innings. She picked up her 1,000th career strikeout during the win.

“Blayne’s performance against Muscle Shoals was phenomenal,” Reeves said. “18 strikeouts in any game is huge, but with it being able to clinch area made it even better. We’ve got to, as a team and put more runs on the board to help her out. We can’t rely on her to do that whenever she walks out there.”

She helped her cause with a two-RBI hit late in the game to put the Tigers in front. Katie Gillott and Grace McClendon each added a hit.

Hartselle will host the area tournament May 2 at the Grady and Margie Long Softball Complex.

Thompson 5, Hartselle 2
Hartselle fell on the road at 7A No. 5 Thompson by a 5-2 score. Brooklyn Stiles had an RBI for the Tigers, while Kaelyn Jones, Blayne Godfrey, Katie Norgard, Brityan Godfrey, Brantley Drake and Gillott each had a hit.