No high school softball team earns a berth in the state tournament without overcoming obstacles, but Billingsley’s squad couldn’t have foreseen something thrown in their way this week.

The Bears punched their ticket to the state tournament with their performance in last week’s Class 1A South Central Region Tournament.

On Monday, as the team was beginning its preparations for the state tournament on Thursday, it was discovered that several thousand dollars worth of equipment had been stolen.

“You just try to figure out what to do when you’re supposed to play Thursday,” coach J.T. Lawrence said. “It’s been a rollercoaster of a ride since [Monday].”

Lawrence said players were already stretching and warming up to begin practice on Monday when he noticed the equipment was missing. Among the items apparently stolen were two sets of catching equipment, two catcher’s mitts, six batting helmets, an equipment bag and about 12 bats.

The coach said the cost to replace the equipment would be about $3,000 or more.

The Autauga County Sheriff’s Department is investigating.

Without proper equipment, the Bears were unable to conduct a full practice Monday as planned. Their appearance in the state tournament could have also been in jeopardy if not for an outpouring of generosity.

Since the story of the incident has spread, many coaches, athletic officials, softball parents from other schools have contacted wanting to help.

Lawrence said he’s received texts from numbers he didn’t recognize, asking if there was a way to help.

“It’s been overwhelming the amount of support the girls have received and the program has received,” Lawrence said.

Lawrence said an insurance claim could be filed after the season but would likely not cover the entire cost of replacing the equipment.

Thursday’s games are the focus for now.

“We’re going to be OK for Thursday,” Lawrence said. “We’ve stressed to the girls that the equipment we used this year didn’t win or lose any games for us. That was strictly on us—what we did or didn’t do.”

Billingsley is scheduled to play Falkville at 9 a.m. Thursday at Montgomery’s Lagoon Park, with games to continue Thursday and Friday in the double-elimination tournament.

The Bears started the Class 1A South Central Region Tournament on April 9 with a 10-0 win over Jacksonville Christian, followed by a 10-4 win over Fayetteville.

Madison Motley went 2-for-2 with a double and a triple at the plate at JCA with two runs scored and three RBI, while Katlyn Childress allowed zero runs, two hits and two walks from the pitcher’s circle while striking out 11.

Against Fayetteville, Abby Tindol went 3-for-4 at the plate with three runs and two RBI, and stole three bases, while Childress allowed three earned runs on seven hits and three walks while striking out 11.

Then, on April 10 in the game to determine the region’s first qualifier, BHS fell to Ragland, 9-1, as they committed nine errors and could muster only seven hits, three of which came off Motley’s bat.

Billingsley faced a similar situation last year, with a loss in the Qualifier 1 game and then needing to win a loser’s bracket game to earn the second qualifier position.

The Bears could not qualify last year but did so this season, with an 11-0 win over Wadley.

Motley went 4-for-5 at the plate with two RBI, Tindol was 2-for-3 with three runs and Kaitlan Reed went 2-for-3 with one run and one RBI.

Childress pitched a shut out, allowing two hits and no walks in seven innings while striking out nine.

“We’ve talked all year about how that felt [to fall one game short of qualifying for state], and we’ve used that as motivation to try to get back to that game and get past it and get to state,” Lawrence said. “It’s just a good group of girls that have a good work ethic, and they’re fun to be around.

“It’s been a fun year. It’s been one of the most enjoyable sports seasons to me, however it turns out.”