Henderson County enters next week’s Second Region Softball Tournament as both the host and the favorite to repeat as champions.
Play begins Monday at 5:30 in Henderson when Christian County plays Webster County. The 7:30 nightcap features what should be an entertaining game between Caldwell County and 5th District champion Livingston Central.
On Tuesday, Henderson County plays Crittenden County at 5:30 with Madisonville to meet Hopkinsville at 7:30.
In the tourney opener Monday, Christian County (25-9) plays 6th District runner-up Webster County (16-16) at 5:30.
The Lady Colonels were 11-1 against region competition this year with their only loss coming to Madisonville. They have won eight of 10 games heading into the region tourney.
Christian County is looking for its first tourney win since taking home the 2018 region title.
Webster County dropped a 10-1 decision to Christian County on March 29. The Lady Trojans last won a game in the region tourney in 2019.
Monday’s 7:30 contest features the third game between 5th District champion Livingston Central (20-11) and 7th District runner-up Caldwell County (15-12).
When the teams met on March 25 in Princeton, Caldwell County rallied from 10 runs down to beat the Lady Cardinals 16-15.
They met again on April 15 in the All-A Classic region tournament with Caldwell holding off a Livingston rally to claim the 5-4 win.
Caldwell County was 13-8 against region competition during the season. Their last win in the region tourney came in 2018 when they finished as runner-up.
Livingston Central is making its first region tournament appearance since the 2014 season when they won the All-A Classic State Tournament but were shocked in the region championship game by Kaylee Tow’s walk-off three-run homer that gave Madisonville a 10-9 win.
The Lady Cardinals were 11-6 against region teams.
Henderson County and Madisonville are 1-2 in region RPI and will be in the same bracket for the tourney.
Henderson County (29-2) won all eight games against region competition after claiming the region title last year. The Lady Colonels will meet 5th District runner-up Crittenden County (10-19). Henderson beat the Lady Rockets 10-0 on March 14 and 16-0 on April 1.
The other quarterfinal has Madisonville (24-5) meeting Hopkinsville (9-17). It will be the first meeting between the schools in 10 years.
Madisonville is 12-2 against region teams and has won eight of nine heading into the tournament. The Lady Maroons were runner-ups last year after winning five region titles in a six-year span from 2014-19.
Hopkinsville is back in the region tournament for the first time in three years and looking for its first tourney win since 2001.
Wednesday’s semifinals will be played at 5:30 and 7:30 with the championship game scheduled for Friday.
Region tournament tickets will go on sale on the day of the game through the GoFan website.
