HEADLAND — What a difference a few hours can make.

The Charles Henderson softball team can will tell anyone that will listen, that a lot can happen over the course of an afternoon, especially on the softball diamond.

The Lady Trojans finished as the runner-up in the area tournament Thursday afternoon in Headland, and with it earned a spot in the regional tournament next week in Gulf Shores.

Charles Henderson lost their opening game of the day to Ashford, 4-3, before rebounding with 15-0 win over Bullock County and an emotional 9-5 win over host-team Headland.

In the “must win” game against the Rams, Charles Henderson got off to a slow start, but came alive in the third inning to score five runs and break the game open.

“We talked about being disciplined and laying off those high strikes, and we started doing that in the third,” said head coach Robin Snyder. “We had to get the ball on the ground and make them get us out. We were able to do that, and made some things happen.”

Charles Henderson took advantage of a couple of Headland errors, and single by Madison Mehaffey to score three runs.

Later in the inning, Olivia Hudson sent a deep shot to left field, and over the Headland student section, for a mammoth two-run homer.

The Lady Trojans picked up three insurance runs in the fifth and one in the sixth, which allowed young Samantha Yarbrough some room to work in the circle.

Yarbrough, just a seventh grader, went all seven innings for the Trojans scattering five hits, and striking out five batters.

“Sam struggled at times out there, but all in all, she did a great job,” said Snyder. “When you have a lead, the mistakes are as big. She gave up a home run there late, but did a great job coming back and shutting them down.”

Charles Henderson lost a pair of games to Ashford during the day. The Trojans lost their opening game of the day 4-3, and fell in the championship game 10-9.

Charles Henderson led in both games, before the Jackets rallied to claim the wins, and the area tournament title.

“We didn’t have hits go our way in the first game, or this thing might have turned out a lot different,” said Snyder. “We had a lot of solid hits, they just seemed to go right to someone.”

Also on the day, the Lady Trojans shutout Bullock County 15-0.

Snyder rested the majority of his starters against the Hornets and got his bench players playing time.

Laken Turner made the most of her opportunity in the circle for Charles Henderson, as she threw a complete game no-hitter, and struck out all but one batter.

Turner missed the perfect game with a walk in the first inning.

Snyder feels that his team is one of the better teams in the state, no matter what the record shows on paper.

“We played 19 ball games this season that were decided by three runs or less,” said Snyder. “In those games, we were 4-15. If we could reverse our fortune, our record would look a whole lot better. But we are in it for Gulf Shores, and it’s a whole new slate for everyone.”

The Lady Trojans will be back in action at the regional tournament in Gulf Shores next week.