Sarah King comes up firing a throw to first after fielding a ball at the hot corner in Game 1 against Community on Thursday. (Post Photo by Chris Siers)
By CHRIS SIERS
csiers@bedfordcountypost.com
CHAPEL HILL — It wasn’t the path the Forrest Lady Rockets envisioned to the District 9-AA championship, but nonetheless, the district’s top seed will play for a championship on Friday afternoon.
In the winner’s bracket finals, Forrest dropped a 4-2 decision after the game was halted due to the deadly tornado outbreak in the mid-state, before concluding on Thursday afternoon.
After falling to Community, the Lady Rockets rallied to shutout Cascade in convincing fashion with a 10-0
Ella Chilton barrels up a pitch against the Viqueens after play resumes on Thursday. (Post Photo by Chris Siers)
Game 1 on Thursday was originally scheduled to be played on Tuesday, but after storms rolled through the area, the game was postponed to Wednesday afternoon.
Even with the game pushed to Wednesday, the threat of severe weather again forced the game changed and after being pushed up several hours, the deadly tornado outbreak forced the conclusion of the matchup between Forrest and Community to be postponed until Thursday afternoon.
With the game tied in the top of the fifth, Community knocked in two runs after resuming play and held the Lady Rockets scoreless to advance to the District 9-AA championship.
After surrendering a 1-0 lead to the Viqueens in the third inning on Wednesday, a perfect squeeze bunt by Maggie Daughrity tied the game at one, after Ella Chilton scored.
Abby Ferguson then singled home Haddie Van Patton, who singled earlier in the inning.
Community then pushed the tying run across the plate on another Lady Rocket error before storms rolled through and forced the postponement until Thursday evening.
After play resumed on Thursday, the Viqueens took a 4-2 lead over Forrest on a two RBI triple in the top of the fifth, and threatened to make a run at the Community lead in the bottom of the inning.
Haddie Van Patten was hit by a pitch to lead off the Lady Rocket fifth and advanced to second on a passed ball before Daughrity laid down a bunt single to put two on with nobody out.
Forcing the Viqueen defense to make a play, Community came up with a key out and cut down Van Patten at home.
Following the out at the plate, Community turned in two scoreless innings to secure the spot in the District 9-AA championship.
Community 001 120 0 — 4 4 0
Forrest 002 000 0 — 2 6 6
Forrest: Maggie Daughrity 2-for-3, Abby Ferguson 1-for-4, Ella Chilton 2-for-3, Haddie Van Patten 1-for-2.
WP: Prince
LP: Moreland
FORREST 10, CASCADE 0
After the upset loss to Community, Forrest responded with a sound, 10-0 win over Cascade to advance to the rematch against the Viqueens in the 9-AA championship.
Forrest took advantage of three Lady Champion errors and belted out 11 hits in the shutout victory.
The Lady Rockets pushed four runs across the plate in the first inning and never left off the throttle.
Sarah King was the offensive hero against Cascade, going 3-for-3 with four RBIs, highlighted by her three-run blast in the bottom of the third.
Haddie Van Patten and Ella Chilton also doubled, along with King.
Moreland pitched four innings, gave up four hits and struck out two before Chilton took over in the circle and pitched two innings in relief, giving up just one hit and fanning two.
The win forces a rematch against Community for the 9-AA title at 5 p.m. on Friday.
Should the Lady Rockets game Game 1, Game 2 will follow.
Cascade 000 000 — 0 5 3
Forrest 403 201 — 10 11 0
Forrest: Maggie Daughrity 1-for-3, Abby Ferguson 2-for-3, Christa Warren 1-for-2, Briley Burnham 1-for-2, Taylor Moreland 1-for-2, Sarah King 3-for-3, Ella Chilton 1-for-3, Haddie Van Patten 1-for-3.
WP: Moreland
LP: Lambert
