GULF SHORES – Fairhope’s Lady Pirates finished second in the South Regional at Gulf Shores on Saturday and will play in the AHSAA state softball tournament in Montgomery this week.

The Lady Pirates (42-14) fell to 10-0 to Satsuma in the Regional final after defeating Baker, Daphne and Mary G. Montgomery earlier in the day. Fairhope will play Hoover at noon on Friday in the first round of the state tournament. Satsuma will play Hueytown, also at noon.

“This team has worked so hard and battled through so much to get to this point,” Fairhope coach Jonathan Heflin said. “I am just thrilled to get to this point. To be able to go to state is the biggest thrill in the world.”

The Lady Pirates will be one of the youngest teams in the 6A state tournament this year. Fairhope has four juniors, three sophomores, two freshmen and two eighth graders who play on a rotating basis.

“We have grown up so much as a team,” Heflin said. “We started the year with a lot of potential. We had a couple players who we thought would play who didn’t, so our other girls have really stepped up as a group.

“This has been a magical season.”

Fairhope had to fight back from a 3-0 deficit to beat Mary G. Montgomery 4-3 in eight innings to get to the championship round.

The Lady Pirates were visibly tired during the 10-0 loss to Satsuma in the region championship.

“We had to expend a lot of energy to win that one,” Heflin said. “We fought hard to get the extra inning win. I was really proud to see the girls just keep fighting like that. We just kept putting the ball in play and fought back in it.”

Class 6A

Daphne eliminated Robertsdale 3-1 on Saturday morning. Fairhope eliminated Daphne 2-0.

Class 5A

Gulf Shores was eliminated by No. 3 Faith Academy. Spanish Fort was eliminated by second-ranked St. Paul’s.