Unaka softball held off University High on Monday to keep the season alive.
The Lady Rangers captured an 8-4 win over the Lady Bucs in a District 1-A Tournament elimination game on Stoney Creek. With the win, Unaka advances to take on Cloudland in an elimination game with a spot in the championship game on the line.
Unaka took an early lead in the bottom of the first, as Brooklyn Campbell stole home for a run after she led off the inning with a double. In the second, the Lady Rangers saw Kiley Natusch score off a Campbell single, while Katlyn Dugger put the ball in play to score Mikena Blackwell. That gave UHS a 4-0 lead after two innings of play.
The Lady Rangers added to the lead in the bottom of the third as Kimberly Profitt hit a double to score Devalynn Harter while Logan Collins touched home plate off a Kelsey Pasquale single.
Unaka led 6-0 after three innings of play.
In the fifth, UH’s Emma Linkous hit a three-run home run to cut into the Unaka lead.
The Lady Rangers pushed the lead out to 8-3 in the bottom of the sixth as Campbell scored off a Dugger sacrifice bunt and Kacie Bare hit a home run over the centerfield fence.
The Lady Bucs got a run back in the seventh, but Unaka was able to hold firm to secure the win.
Campbell led the way as she was 3-for-4 with an RBI, while Bare had two hits and an RBI. Harter added two hits.
Profitt and Pasquale each had a hit and an RBI.
Linkous led UH as she went 3-for-4 with three RBI.