It was another classic battle between the Cloudland and Unaka softball teams on Monday evening.
The Lady ‘Landers edged out the Lady Rangers for a 5-4 victory in the District 1-A Tournament at North Greene on Monday evening.
Cloudland advanced into Tuesday’s Winners’ Bracket Final against North Greene, while Unaka moved into a Tuesday elimination game against University High.
On Monday, Unaka held an early advantage.
After Katlyn Dugger got on base with a one-out walk, Kacie Bare hit a single to center field that allowed Dugger to score as UHS took a 1-0 lead.
Regan Blair opened the bottom of the first with a double for Cloudland, but CHS was unable to plate the run.
Neither team was able to score in the second.
On top of the third, Brooklyn Campbell hit a two-out single for Unaka, while Dugger moved the runner with a single. Mollie Buckles hit a single to center field that allowed both Dugger and Campbell to score as Unaka took a 3-0 lead.
Cloudland, however, battled back.
Savannah McCoury hit a one-out single, while Blair and Eowyn McCoury reached base to load the base. S. McCoury crossed the plate after Willow Bennett was hit by a pitch.
The Lady ‘Landers were unable to move the runners as Unaka held a 3-1 advantage going to the fourth.
After Unaka was unable to get anything going in the fourth, Peyton Preswood, Abriella Jones, and Jayla Harper hit singles to load the bases with no outs with the blue and gold.
Blair drew a walk that allowed Preswood to score and E. McCoury put the ball in play and forced a Unaka error that allowed Cloudland to tie the game at 3-3.
CHS was unable to plate any more runs in the frame as the game went to the fifth tied at 3-3.
The Lady ‘Landers recorded a double-play to end the top of the fifth. Cloudland took a 4-3 lead when Jones scored off a Harper double in the home side of the fifth, while S. McCoury hit a single that allowed Harper to score.
The Lady Rangers didn’t go quietly as Dugger led off the sixth with a single and scored off an error to close the Unaka deficit to one.
In the top of the seventh, Kimberly Profitt had a one-out double as Unaka tried to start a rally. Ariana Collins drew a two-out walk to get runners on the first and second, but the Lady Rangers were unable to move the runners.
Harper and S. McCoury had two hits and an RBI to pace CHS. Jones finished with two hits. Blair, E. McCoury, and Bennett each recorded an RBI.
Reagan Turbyfill struck out 10 batters in the pitching circle as she allowed three earned runs on six hits.
Dugger went 2-for-2 with three runs scored for Unaka, while Buckles had two RBI and a hit. Bare added a hit and an RBI.
Profitt allowed just three earned runs on eight hits in five innings of work.