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BY AUSTIN ALEXANDER
STAR CORRESPONDENT
GREENEVILLE – A champion would be crowned on Thursday night in the District 1-A softball championship.

The North Greene Lady Huskies and the Unaka Lady Rangers split their regular season battle, but the Rangers still took home the regular season gold.

The Huskies would be out for retribution this time with the District 1-A crown on the line. A close pitchers duel throughout, some timely hitting from North Greene was the difference as Unaka fell, 3-1.

Kadie Wilson got things started on the mound for the Rangers and she was on fire sitting down the first three batters she faced.

With bats in their hands, Unaka could do little on offense aside from a Trinity Bowers double in the bottom of the first.

Another three up and three down from Wilson put the Rangers back up to the plate hoping to find better things than the previous inning. Lyndie Ramsey pitched in with an infield single, but the Huskies sat down the rest of the batters faced.

The third inning was a matching copy of the first two innings as each team only grabbed one hit combined coming in the form of Bowers’ double.

In the fourth frame, both teams came to life.

The Huskies broke up Wilson’s no-hit bid when Anna Weems drove a ball deep into left and out of the ballpark. The home run gave the Huskies a temporary lead.

Unaka wouldn’t take long to answer. Three consecutive hits from Noelle Collins, Kendall Bare, and Ramsey would load the bases.

A sacrifice fly from Wilson equalized the game, but unfortunately, the Lady Rangers couldn’t capitalize any further.

North Greene went back ahead in the top of the fifth with a sacrifice bunt putting the Huskies back ahead 2-1.

The next inning and a half saw nine consecutive batters sat down for the two teams combined as the two pitchers continued to perform well.

The top of the seventh brought a Cambell Graby home run making the score 3-1 and putting the Rangers into a corner.

The Rangers, however, couldn’t find any answers at the plate and would go down in consecutive outs as the Huskies captured the tournament title 3-1.

Both teams are still alive in postseason play as each has a date in regional matchups.