Madisonville-North Hopkins used a 16-run first inning to beat Hopkinsville 19-4 Tuesday and advance to the region softball semifinals for the ninth straight year.
The Lady Maroons sent 19 batters to the plate in the opening inning and put up seven singles, four doubles, a triple, and a three-run home run from Brenna Sherman.
All of this came after Hopkinsville opened the game with two runs in the top of the first. Jakayla Grubbs singled and Kaitlyn Kaetzel walked. After both moved up 90 feet on a groundout, Shaniya Straight’s single scored them both.
After Madisonville’e big first inning, Hoptown tacked on two more runs when Grubbs smacked her fourth home run of the season over the left-field fence.
The Lady Maroons added three more runs in the second inning and kept Hoptown off the scoreboard in the third to claim the mercy-rule win.
Every Lady Maroon had at least one hit as Zoe Davis had three hits and three RBI from the leadoff spot. Sherman added two hits and four RBI, and Mackenzie Stoltz chipped in with three RBI.
Hayleigh Perdue (8-3) picked up the win in the circle for Madisonville, who improves to 25-5. They will play Henderson County in the semifinals.
