SOFTBALL REGION

 The 13^th Region Softball Tournament has been set and the Corbin Lady Redhounds will meet defending champion and number 10 ranked North Laurel, Monday at 2 p.m. The region will be held at South Laurel High School.

“It seems like North Laurel and us are magnets when it comes to regional tournaments,” Corbin Coach Chris Hart said. “It seems like we end up playing them every year we are in there. But, like I have always said if you want to be the best, you have to beat the best.”

Corbin will be making their fifth straight trip to the 13^th Region Tournament. The Lady Redhounds lost in the first-round to North Laurel last year, 11-0. Corbin lost to North Laurel in the semifinals in 2008 and 2009. Harlan County eliminated the Lady Redhounds in 2010, 2-0.

North Laurel, the winningest team in the state of Kentucky with 578 victories, has won the 13^th the last five years in a row and 13 out of 17 years since fast pitch began in Kentucky.

Corbin (20-15) put a scare into the Lady Jaguars back on May 11 when North Laurel had to score late in the game to hold off the Lady Redhounds, 2-1.

“We have to play them sooner or later, so we will go ahead and do it the first game,” Hart said.

“The last time we played North, I thought we played real well,” Hart added. “The girls feel like we can compete with them and they know the reputation of North Laurel. This young group I have comes out and works hard and I don’t expect anything different Monday.”

The Harlan County Lady Bears (17-13) will meet Barbourville (8-15) in the first-round of the tournament Monday at 12 noon.

In the bottom bracket, Clay County will take on South Laurel at 4 p.m., followed by Knox Central and Bell County at 6 p.m.

Harlan County was a surprise winner of the 52^nd District Tournament with a 6-1 win over Bell County. Bell County had beaten the Lady Dragons, 14-0 and 11-2 during the regular season. “You’ve got to come out ready to play every game,” Bell County Coach J.W. Campbell said.

It will be the first meeting this year between South Laurel and Clay County. The semifinals have been set for Tuesday at 6 and 8 p.m. with the championship scheduled for Thursday.

Pre-Tournament Ranking

1. North Laurel (#10 statewide)
2. Bell County
3. South Laurel
4. Corbin
5. Cay Co.
6. Harlan Co.
7. Knox Central
8. Barbourville