By Shannon Fagan, WEIS Sports Director

CENTRE – The Cherokee County Lady Warriors had at least one hit in five of seven innings against Class 4A, Area 12 rival Alexandria, but could only manage just one run against Lady Cub pitcher Reece Carr. Meanwhile, Alexandria’s offense capitalized on four Lady Warrior fielding errors in a 4-1 softball decision on Tuesday.

“If we get a few bunts down early in the game, we move runners when we need to, we eliminate some of the fielding errors, we eliminate some of the base-running errors, that becomes a 1-1 game down to the very end,” Lady Warrior head coach Heather Hawk said.

Three of Alexandria’s four runs were unearned, including one in the top of the first inning. Lady Cub leadoff hitter Charlee Parris reached on an error at second and later scored on a Cali Hess’s single to left to give Alexandria a 1-0 lead.

The Lady Cubs (8-4) added another run in the top of the fourth. Ryan Lumpkin led off with a single to left and later scored on Katelyn Robertson’s single to right, making it a 2-0 game.

The Lady Warriors (3-6) got a run back in the bottom of the fifth inning. Brooklynn Bruce bunted for a hit with one out and later scored on Izzy Patterson’s double to left to cut Alexandria’s lead to 2-1.

But two more errors in the top of the sixth led to two more Alexandria runs for the final.

Jacee Brooks led off the sixth with a triple to right and scored on a throwing error. Carr followed with a single to center. Pinch runner Chloe England scored on an error at second with two outs to make it a 4-1 game.

That proved to be all the run support Carr would need. She earned the win for the Lady Cubs after giving up just one earned run on seven hits with a walk and six strikeouts.

“She moved the ball on us,” Hawk said. “We just had to be able to keep the bat through the zone where we needed to and extend for a hit.”

Carr was also 2-for-2 at the plate for Alexandria. Hess went 2-for-4 and drove in a run.

Patterson doubled, walked, and drove in the Lady Warriors’ lone run. Kaylee Lewis and Sydni Frost were both 2-for-3.

Emma Hill suffered the loss after giving up an earned run on eight hits with no walks and three strikeouts.

Hill also had a single in the bottom of the first inning.

“She brings a lot to the table,” Hawk said of Hill. “If we can continue to keep her healthy and continue to keep her pushing the girls around her, we’ll do well.”

The Lady Warriors host the Cherokee County Tournament beginning on Thursday. They will face the winner of Thursday’s opening game between Sand Rock and Gaylesville at 7 p.m.