After a short-lived tie at the top of the District 5-4A softball standings that lasted some 24 hours, Cleveland regained the No. 1 spot Wednesday afternoon with a shutout win over Rhea County, at Brenda Lawson Field.
The final outcome of the district race will be determined next week when sixth-ranked Walker Valley (21-5-1, 4-1 District 5-4A) wraps up its district schedule against McMinn County Wednesday, May 1.
The 8-0 district finale over the Lady Eagles (9-13, 2-4) sets the 17th-ranked Lady Raiders up at 5-1 in league play and 18-12 overall.
The final seeding for the tournament could be determined by head-to-head with the tied opponent, run differential, ties against team records against the higher seeded team, run differentia against the higher seeded team, head-to-head with tied opponents outside of district play and, finally, a coin toss if all other options fail to produce.
All factors in the tiebreaker are contingent on a Walker Valley win over McMinn County (8-15, 0-5). If the Lady Mustangs lose to the Lady Cherokees, the Lady Raiders take the district title outright.
“The last one (district game) is Wednesday between McMinn and Walker and that will close it out,” said Cleveland head coach KJ Harris.
The Lady Raiders traveled to top-ranked (overall) Silverdale Baptist Academy (40-3) Thursday and ran became the defending state DII-AA champs' 40th victim this season, faling 4-0.
Cleveland will wrap up the regular season against host crosstown Bradley (8-12) on Tuesday before opening the postseason on Friday, at Larry Haney Field.
LADY RAIDERS 8
LADY EAGLES 0
Furman signee Lily O'Bryan got the complete game win Wednesday, facing just a half dozen over the minimum of 21 batters. The swift righty gave up up just one hit, while striking out 10 batters and walking five.
After quelling a Rhea County threat in the top of the first inning, the Lady Raiders responded with a single run in the bottom half of the inning.
O'Bryan opened with a single to left field and wound up on third base after two Rhea County wild pitches. Sophomore Landri Nelson got the RBI with a single to left.
O'Bryan kept the train rolling with a lead-off double down the left-field line to open the bottom of the third, stole third, and later scored on on wild pitch.
Two more runs were posted by the Lady Raiders in the fifth as Reagan Campbell got things started with a single down the left-field line. Two batters later, Campbell trotted home after O'Bryan ripped her fourth home run of the season over the left-field fence.
Cleveland exploded in the bottom of the sixth with a 4-spot that put a lid on the win.
Roane State signee Ashley Allen upped the lead to 5-0 when she smacked her ninth homer of the season, clearing the left-field fence. After a ground out, senior Alexis Foltz extended the lead as, blasting a pinch-hit dinger to center field.
Cleveland followed with five consecutive hits, scoring two more runs as Ja'Maya Hill, Campbell, Abby Hozzouri, O'Bryan and Nelson all recorded safeties.
O'Bryan and the Lady Raiders closed out the win with two fly balls and a strikeout to seal at least a tie for the district regular season for the first time in program history.
“I got a little bit worried there at the start. We came out a little bit flat. We've had a full week of testing and the girls had half days off,” said Coach Harris. “But, I felt like late we rallied. Any time you can hit three home runs at home is a good night."
The Lady Raiders can only play the waiting game to see if McMinn County can pull off the upset over the Feisty Fillies next week before knowing where they stand for the District 5-4A Tournament.
“We would love to be on top no question,” Harris acknowledged. “But, I feel like we needed this adversity and any time you are challenged with something like this you've got a choice, either you respond or you lay down. And I don't think there is lay down in this group. We're right where we want to be going into the postseason. We're ready to play.”
LADY SEAHAWKS 4
LADY RAIDERS 0
Silverdale freshman pitcher Bita Cox pitched a complete-game shutout, where she allowed five hits and no walks, while striking out 14 Cleveland batters.
Cleveland coach K.J. Harris knows that playing teams like Silverdale will only make her team better. Thursday’s game was their fourth against the Lady Seahawks and much closer and more competitive than the first three.
“Silverdale is really good as they completely challenged us at the plate. I’m happy that we battled the entire game and I feel like we’re ready for the post-season, but we gave up those four runs with two outs (in the third inning) and that hurt,” Harris added.
Nelson singled with one out in the first inning, but was erased on a double play when she was caught off base following an infield pop and that was the only base runner Cleveland had in the first three innings.
Nelson later had a double down the line in left with one out in the fourth before adding a single with two outs in the fifth.
Lilly Mason had Cleveland’s other two hits with singles in the fifth and seventh, but no Lady Raider got past second as Cox was in complete control the entire game.
Allen also pitched well as she only allowed seven hits and no earned runs while striking out seven and walking three. She forced the Lady Seahawks to strand seven runners in six innings.
— John Hunt of the Chattanoogan.com contributed to this story.
