Unaka was unable to rally to extend the season on Tuesday afternoon.
The Lady Rangers fell 8-6 to Hancock County in the Region 1-A Semifinals at Hancock County. With the loss, Unaka’s season comes to a close. For the first time in program history, Hancock County advanced to the Region 1-A title game as well as the substate round.
Hancock County jumped out early with three runs in the bottom of the first.
Unaka loaded the bases in the top of the second but was unable to plate a run. Neither team was able to get on the board until the bottom of the fourth when the Lady Indians hit a home run to push the lead to 4-0.
Unaka, however, didn’t go quietly.
Mollie Buckles opened the sixth inning, and Kimberly Profitt hit a single to plate the run.
After two Hancock County errors, Saylor Conner and Gracie Hill scored as Unaka closed the gap to 4-3. The Lady Indians answered with four runs in the home side of the inning to push the lead to 8-3 going to the seventh.
The Lady Rangers battled back again.
Brooklyn Campbell hit a double to open the inning. After Buckles hit a single to put runners on the corner, Campbell scored after Kacie Bare hit a single to center field.
Buckles crossed the plate after Devalynn Harter hit a single, and Unaka closed the gap to 8-6 after Profitt put the ball in plate to plate Bare. Unaka, however, was unable to keep the inning going.
Harter went 3-for-4 with an RBI for the Lady Rangers, while Profitt had two RBI and a hit. Bare tallied two hits and an RBI. Keidance Story and Campbell each had a hit.
Profitt struck out six batters in 4.2 innings of work and allowed just one earned run on four hits.