EVENSVILLE, Tenn. — Despite having to give up home field advantage, second-seeded Cleveland was able to win a tight pitcher 's duel over No. 3-seed Rhea County Sunday afternoon to open the District 5-4A Softball Tournament.
Freshman Lady Raider hurler Huntlee Dennison made a solo score in the first inning stand up, shutting out the Lady Eagles who got a 10-strikeout performance from Allie Shaver. In the hard luck loss, in Evensville.
The game was originally set for Friday, but was postponed twice and moved to the turf at Rhea County High School to be able to get it in before Monday's second round, in Athens.
Cleveland (16-12) will battle county-rival fourth-ranked Walker Valley (27-8) in the winner's bracket final Monday at 7 p.m..
The teams split their regular season matchups, but the Feisty Fillies took the top seed on a run differential tiebreaker.
Rhea County (11-23) will take on host McMinn County in an elimination game to open Monday's action at 5.
LADY RAIDERS 1, LADY EAGLES 0: After Dennison took care of Rhea in the game's opening at bat, junior Brylee Cisco, who went 2-for-3 on the day, started the bottom of the frame with a single to right field.
Freshman Ariyah Huffman followed with another knock to right, putting runners on the corners, before senior Allison Farnsworth drove in the game-winning run with a one-out single.
That was all the offensive support Dennison would need as she scattered four hits, issued four walks and struck out four batters, forcing Rhea to leave nine "ducks on the pond."
Joining Cisco with a pair of hits in the game was Lady Raider junior Lily Mason, while sophomore Sophie Greene also had a hit.
Lady Eagle ace Allie Shaver put up a strong pitching outing as well, notching 10 Ks and not walking a batter. Lakyn Lockhart went 2-for-3 for the hosts.
GAME SUMMARY
District 5-4A
Tournament
Opening Round
Sunday, May 4
at Evensville
Rhea County 000 000 0 — 0 4 2
Cleveland 100 000 x — 1 7 1
WP: Huntlee Dennison 7 IP, 4 Ks, 4 BB, 4 hits, 0 ER. LP: Allie Shaver 6 IP, 10 Ks, 0 BB, 7 hits, 1 ER. RBI: Allison Farnsworth (C). LADY RAIDER HIGHLIGHTS: Brylee Cisco 2-3, RS; Lilly Mason 2-3; Farnsworth 1-3, RBI; Sophie Greene 1-3; Ariyah Huffman 1-3. RECORDS: Rhea County 11-12; Cleveland 16-12.