Belgreen, Tharptown advance
Despite falling short in their area championship games, both the Belgreen Bulldogs and the Tharptown Wildcats secured their spots in the Class 2A North Regional softball tournament last week, keeping their postseason hopes alive.
Belgreen navigated a challenging path in the Class 2A Area 11 tournament to earn their regional berth. The Bulldogs opened the tournament strong, shutting out rival Red Bay with a decisive 10-0 victory. A subsequent 6-0 loss to Sulligent dropped the Bulldogs into the elimination bracket.
Needing a win to stay alive and advance, Belgreen once again overpowered Red Bay, this time winning 25-5. This victory secured their place in the regional final but pitted them against Sulligent, who beat them 8-0.
Tharptown’s journey through the Class 2A Area 14 tournament also required navigating the elimination bracket.
The Wildcats dropped their opening game to Lexington, 14-4. After Area 14 champion Lindsay Lane defeated Lexington, Tharptown faced the Golden Bears again. In a tight contest, the Wildcats edged out Lexington 5-4, clinching their spot in the regional tournament and advancing to the area final.
Tharptown ultimately fell to Lindsay Lane in the championship game, securing the Area 14 runner-up title.
Both Franklin County squads will now compete in the Class 2A North Regional tournament at the Florence Sportsplex.
Action for both teams began play Monday morning at 9 a.m. Belgreen (Area 11 runner-up) faced Lamar County, while Tharptown (Area 14 runnerup) played Sumiton Christian. Coverage will be provided on the Franklin County Times website.
