Fresh off a trip to Lagoon Park last week, the Pike Liberal Arts Lady Patriots are itching to get back to Montgomery this week.

Pike split a pair of games at the AISA Seeding Tournament last week, and earned the No. 3 overall seed for this weekend’s AISA Softball State Tournament at Lagoon Park in Montgomery.

The Lady Patriots fell to Glenwood 3-1, before knocking off Springwood 3-2 in the back end of the doubleheader.

Pike Liberal Arts head coach Allie Park said the win has her team ready to get back to Montgomery and play again.

“Some of the girls were a little surprised after we beat Springwood, and I told them that we deserve to be here,” said Park. “The eight best teams in the state are going to be there, and we are belong in that group. They now know that and so do I.”

Pike stumbled at time during the season, but found its stride towards the end of the season.

The Lady Patriots ripped off an impressive streak of good games in the regular season’s final days, en route to a No. 9 ranking in the final Alabama Sports Writers Association poll.

The late-season run has the Lady Pats excited about what lies in front of them.

“They are excited to be one of those last eight teams in the state left playing,” Park said. “Their confidence has gotten higher and higher each day, and I feel they are ready to show how good we really are.”

With the regular season in the rear-view mirror, the Lady Patriots have their eyes set on the ultimate prize of winning the AISA State Championship, something a Pike Liberal Arts team hasn’t done since winning the baseball title in 2012.

“It is a brand new season now,” said Park. “All we have to do is play well this upcoming weekend, and we do it. We have to work hard this week at practice and play with confidence this weekend. I think we can turn some heads.”

Pike Liberal opens the AISA State Tournament Friday morning at 10 a.m. against Morgan Academy.