COLUMBUS, Ga. — Cherokee Bluff advanced to the quarterfinals of the Class 3A Elite 8 tournament with a 9-3 win over Pickens on Wednesday at the Oylmpic Softball Complex.
The Lady Bears (26-6) next will take on fellow Region 8-3A foe Monroe Area on Thursday at 1 p.m. for a spot in the semifinals.
Pickens, however, took the initial lead with a run in the top of the first. Bluff answered with two in the bottom of the inning on a Kate Herren two-run blast. They later added a run in the fourth before the Dragonettes tied it at 3 in the fifth.
But Bluff exploded for six runs in the sixth. Payton Davis, Claire Carlson, Audrey Graham, Mac Warren all had RBI singles and Herren tripled in a run to make it 9-3.
Davis got the win for Cherokee Bluff, giving up three runs on seven hits in a complete-game effort. She truck out eight and walked two.
Kendra Stewart took the loss for Pickens, going 5 2/3 innings, allowing nine runs -- only four earned -- on 11 hits.
BUFORD 5,
BROOKWOOD 3
The Lady Wolves (28-1) held off the Lady Broncos to advance in the Class 6A tournament.
Buford scored one in the first and three more in the second to take control. Brookwood pulled within 4-3 after the fifth but the Lady Wolves scored a huge insurance run in the sixth.
The Lady Broncos got a pair of runners on in the seventh but had one runner thrown out trying to steal second and Caroline Stanton, who got the save, induced a game-ending double play to preserve the victory.
Buford next will take on East Coweta on Thursday at 3 p.m.
UNION COUNTY 2,
SONORAVILLE 1
The Lady Panthers moved into the quarterfinals in the Class 2A tournament.
Union County next will play Morgan County at 1 p.m. on Thursday for a spot in the semifinals.
