Staff Reports
ALEXANDRIA – After dropping their opening game to White Plains on Friday in the Class 4A, Area 12 softball tournament at Alexandria, the Cherokee County Lady Warriors fought their way through the losers bracket to finish as the tournament runner-up on Saturday.
They defeated tournament host Alexandria 5-4 in an elimination game, then avenged their opening-round loss to White Plains with a 7-6 victory to force the if-necessary game.
The Lady Warriors built an early three-run lead, but White Plains battled back in a back-and-forth game to outlast Cherokee County 16-13.
In the win over Alexandria, Izzy Patterson went 2-for-2 with a double, a walk, and two runs. Emma Hill was 2-for-3 with a double, a run, and two RBIs.
Emma Eberhart went 1-for-3 with a run. Sydni Frost was 1-for-2 with a walk and a RBI. Brooklynn Bruce and Sofie Dawson both finished 1-for-4.
Hill picked up the win after working all seven innings. She gave up two earned runs on seven hits with a walk and six strikeouts.
In the win over White Plains, Cherokee County (27-18) scored three runs in the top of the seventh and held on in the bottom half to force the if-necessary game.
Dawson delivered a three-run double. Anna Morris went 2-for-3 with a walk and a run. Bruce went 2-for-4 with a run. Kaylee Lewis was also 2-for-4 with a RBI.
Patterson doubled, walked, scored a run, and had a RBI. Hill had a hit and a RBI. Eberhart had a hit and scored a run. Frost and Kar’leigh Bowman both finished with a hit.
Once again, Hill earned the complete game win. She allowed four earned runs on seven hits with four walks and nine strikeouts.
In the if-necessary game against White Plains, Patterson and Eberhart both had four hits. Patterson scored three runs and drove in three. Eberhart scored four runs and had a RBI.
Lewis went 3-for-5 with a RBI. Dawson delivered a pair of hits, three runs, and a RBI. Hill had a hit and drove in two runs. Frost came away with a hit, a walk, and a RBI. Bruce added a hit and two runs.
Hill suffered the loss after working 4 2/3 innings. She gave up two earned runs on four hits with seven walks and three strikeouts.
Frost tossed 2 1/3 innings and allowed nine earned runs on seven hits with three walks and no strikeouts.
Cherokee County and White Plains both advance to East Regional play at Sand Mountain Park in Albertville. They’ll both open regional play on Monday, May 11.
