Unaka wasn’t ready for their season to be over.
The Lady Rangers saw Erika Potter score two runs in the eighth inning to push Unaka to a 5-3 victory over Gibson County in an elimination game of the Class A state tournament in Murfreesboro.
With the win, Unaka advances to take on the loser of Whitwell and Columbia Academy game on Thursday at 11a Eastern/10a Central in another elimination contest.
On Wednesday morning, it was the Lady Rangers who struck first.
After Lilie Kiser opened the second inning with a single, Taylor Shanks hit a single of her own to center field that allowed Beth Lowe – who was running for Kiser – to score. That gave Unaka a 1-0 lead after two innings of play.
The Lady Rangers got back on the board in the top of the fourth as Potter scored off a Gibson County error. Unaka loaded the bases with one out, but was unable to add anymore to their lead as they maintained a 2-0 advantage.
In the bottom of the inning, Gibson County got on the board with a single run, but Unaka countered in the fifth as Madison Pierce scored after Noelle Collins worked a loaded-bases walked. Gibson County plated a run in the sixth and then another in the bottom of the seventh with two outs to force extra innings.
Unaka, however, wasn’t going to be denied.
Shanks opened the inning with a single, and Kendall Bare got on base with a single of her own. After Pierce walked to load the bases, Potter hit a single to left field that brought Shanks and KiKi Forney across home plate.
Gibson County was able to get two runners on in the home side, but a fielder’s choice ended the game to advance the Lady Rangers.
Potter and Shanks had three hits apiece, while Kiser added two hits. Kailey Wilson, Bare and Pierce each had a hit.
In the circle, Sadie Shoun got the win as she allowed one earned run on four hits in two innings of relief work. Wilson had a strong showing as she went six innings and allowed just one earned run on six hits.
