Getting your Trinity Audio player ready...

FROM STAFF REPORTS
The championship came down to two hungry teams wanting to finish up the 2021 season with the tournament championship in middle school softball as Cloudland and Johnson County took the field at Roan Mountain Community Park on Thursday.

When the dust settled, the Jr. Lady Highlanders walked off the field as the champions with a come-from-behind 8-5 victory to claim the title.

In the early going, the Jr. Lady Longhorns seized the early control by taking a 3-0 lead after the first two innings of play.

Johnson County scored one run in the top of the first and two in the top of the third to stake themselves to the early lead.

Cloudland sliced into the lead in the bottom of the third inning with two outs. Reagan Blair singled and was followed by a double off the bat of Savannah McCoury.

Shevon Hamby also singled as both Blair and McCoury came across to score to narrow the gap to 3-2.

The Jr. Lady Highlanders took control of the contest in the bottom of the fourth inning as Cloudland hung six runs on the board to take an 8-3 lead.

Zoe Gardner singled to get things rolling. Caroline Shell ripped a double and Reagen Turbyfill was pegged by a pitch.

Eowyn McCoury and Cora Gibbs also both reached base in the inning.

The Jr. Lady ‘Horns added a couple of more scores but it wasn’t going to be enough as Cloudland held on for the 8-5 win.

Named to the Area 1 All-Tournament team were:
Anna Hartley – Hampton
Trinity Bowers – Happy Valley
Emma Taylor – Unaka
Mollie Buckles – Unaka
Emma Eller – Johnson County
Alyssa McElyea – Johnson County
Kaiden Epperly – Johnson County
Reagan Blair – Cloudland
Shevon Hamby – Cloudland
Zoe Gardner – Cloudland
MVP – Reagan Turbyfill – Cloudland