By Shannon Fagan, WEIS Sports Director

CENTRE – The Cherokee County Lady Warriors didn’t have much time to celebrate winning their third straight Cherokee County Softball Tournament championship on Saturday. They jumped right back into Class 4A, Area 12 action against longtime rival Alexandria on Monday afternoon.

Behind Alyssa Hunt’s three-run home run to left field in the top of the fifth inning and pitcher Pressley Slaton’s three-hitter, the Lady Cubs claimed a 7-1 victory.

Pressley also struck out 10 batters. She allowed the Lady Warriors’ lone run in the bottom of the fourth.

With the Lady Cubs up 1-0 on an unearned run in the top of the third, Lady Warrior leadoff batter Brooklynn Bruce delivered a double to center for Cherokee County’s first hit of the game in the bottom of the fourth. She scored their lone run on a Kaylee Lewis’ single to right with two outs to tie the game at a run apiece.

Alexandria (7-2) responded with a six-run fifth in which the Lady Cubs sent 10 batters to the plate against starting pitcher Emma Hill, with the big blow Hunt’s homer. Cali Hess doubled and Charlee Parris, Brenlee Sparks and Briley Bright each singled in the inning.

The Lady Cubs’ six-run fifth proved to be all the run support Pressley would need. She allowed a double to center to Hill in the bottom of the fifth, but retired the side in that inning on three strikeouts. The Lady Warriors also went 1-2-3 in the sixth and the seventh for the final.

Hill suffered the loss for Cherokee County (9-2). She allowed all seven Lady Cub runs (two earned) on seven hits with no walks and 10 strikeouts.

Alexandria’s Parris was the only player to have multiple hits in the game. The Lady Cub leadoff hitter finished 2-for-4.

The Lady Warriors look to rebound on Tuesday in a rematch of the Cherokee County Tournament final against Spring Garden at 4:30 p.m.