It was an instant classic on Stoney Creek Tuesday afternoon.
Cloudland outlasted Unaka to take a 6-4 win in a District 1-A elimination game. With the win, the Lady ‘Landers secured a spot in Thursday’s District 1-A Championship against North Greene, while the Lady Rangers saw their season come to a close.
Cloudland also secured a spot in the Region 1-A tournament.
The Lady ‘Landers struck early.
Savannah McCoury hit a one-out solo home run in the top of the first to put CHS on the board. Two batters later, Reagan Turbyfill hit a two-out solo home run as Cloudland took a 2-0 lead.
Unaka was able to get one of the runs back as Mikena Blackwell scored after Kacie Bare put the ball in play, as CHS held a 2-1 lead after an inning of play.
The Lady ‘Landers extended the lead in the top of the second as Regan Blair reached on a two-out single, and then the senior scored off an Eowyn McCoury double.
Unaka cut into the lead in the bottom of the third as Brooklyn Campbell crossed home plate as CHS maintained a 3-2 lead after three complete innings.
In the fourth, Unaka tied the game at 3-3 as Ariana Collins hit a single to centerfield that allowed Kelsey Pasquale to score.
The Lady ‘Landers broke the stalemate in the top of the fifth as S. McCoury scored off a Unaka error, and then Khloe Johnson plated Willow Bennett to push the lead to 5-3.
Once again, Unaka answered in the home side of the fifth as the Lady Rangers got one of the runs back as Bare hit a single to score Blackwell.
Neither team was able to score a run in the sixth as CHS held a 5-4 lead heading to the seventh.
Cloudland opened the top of the seventh with a Bennett single and was able to move the runner to second. Peyton Preswood hit a two-out double to left field that allowed the run to score and give Cloudland a 6-4 lead heading to the bottom of the frame.
Unaka kept battling as UHS was able to get a runner on as Dugger reached after putting the ball in play. Cloudland, however, recorded two flyouts to secure the win and extend the season.
S. McCoury had two hits, two runs scored, and an RBI to lead Cloudland, while Johnson, Turbyfill, Preswood, and E. McCoury each had a hit and an RBI. Bennett and Blair added a hit apiece.
In the pitching circle, Turbyfill picked up the win as she allowed just two earned runs on eight hits with four strikeouts.
Blackwell led Unaka as she was 3-for-4. Bare and Collins had a hit and an RBI apiece, while Devalyn Harter, Campbell, and Pasquale each had a hit.
Kimberly Profitt recorded six strikeouts in four innings of work for Unaka.
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Photos by Matt Laws/Carter County Sports