With the season on the line, the Cloudland softball team answered with authority.
The Lady ‘Landers plated six runs in the seventh inning to storm ahead and take an 11-6 victory over Cosby on the road Monday in the Region 1-A Semifinals. With the win, Cloudland advanced to Wednesday’s Region 1-A Championship game against North Greene and also secured a spot in the Class A Sectional round.
After Cloudland entered the seventh inning down one run, the Lady ‘Lander offense went to work.
Zoe Gardner and Peyton Preswood led off the top of the seventh with walks to give Cloudland two baserunners with no outs. Jayla Harper tied things up as she hit a double to center field to plate Gardner.
The Lady ‘Landers saw Eowyn McCoury hit a three-run homer with two outs to push the lead out to 9-6. Savannah McCoury hit a double to keep the inning going, and that set the stage for Willow Bennett to hit a left field home run that plated S. McCoury.
Reagan Turbyfill reached via a Cosby error, but CHS was unable to keep the inning rolling.
Cosby was able to get a baserunner on with one out, but two straight fly outs secured the win for Cloudland.
Prior to the seventh inning rally, Cloudland had jumped out in the third as CHS plated four runs in the top of the third. Cosby, however, countered with two in the home side of the frame and then took a 6-4 lead with four runs in the bottom of the fifth.
S. McCoury hit a solo homerun with two outs in the sixth to pull the Lady ‘Landers within one heading to the seventh.
Reagan Turbyfill allowed just two earned runs on eight hits with six strikeouts for CHS.
S. McCoury was 4-for-5 with three runs scored, while E. McCoury and Bennett both had two hits and three RBI. Turbyfill recorded two RBI.
Jayla Harper added a hit and an RBI.
Ella Hicks led Cosby as she went 2-for-4 with an RBI, while Lakelyn Sweeten had two RBI. In the pitching circle, Sweeten recorded 11 strikeouts and allowed seven runs on nine hits.
The two pitchers combined for 296 pitches in the game.