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ELIZABETHTON — Giving a team extra outs is dangerous in the short game of softball. On Friday night, Happy Valley was the recipient of three unearned runs in a 3-1 win over Sullivan South. The Lady Rebels committed five errors — including two big outfield miscues — to stake the Lady Warriors to a 3-0 lead in the top of the third of the District 1-AA tournament at Elizabethton. “They gave us some runs with errors,” Happy Valley coach Cody Hyder said. “You have to take what’s given to you in this game. I think that right now we are playing our most consistent and this is the time of year you want to get hot. You want to be hot in May.” Katie Roberts opened the inning with a floater to right that Destiny Hyatt couldn’t handle, putting the speedy Roberts aboard at third base. Olivia Absher was plunked by Lady Rebels pitcher Taylor McConnell, placing runners at the corners. Absher stole second and one out later Katie Havner ripped a line drive to left field that clicked off the glove of Macy Ellis, scoring Roberts and Absher and putting Havner at second. A run-scoring single by Macy Puckett plated the last run of the inning. Freshman Abby Holt went the distance for the Lady Warriors, striking out 10 batters and walking just two. “I just tried to keep my mind straight,” Holt said. “My defense always has my back and I don’t have to worry about it. I’m real proud of them.” The Rebels touched Holt for a run in the last of the fourth. A two-bagger from McConnell opened the inning and one out later Nicole Troutman delivered an RBI single to left. The Lady Warriors moved on to face second-seeded Elizabethton on Monday at 6:30 p.m. SULLIVAN EAST 16, JOHNSON COUNTY 7 Johnson County sent nine hitters to the plate in the top of the first, plating six runs. Sullivan East, however, rallied behind three-run homers from Kylee Wolfe and Cayden Bawgus in defeating the Lady Longhorns. The Lady ’Horns chased East starter Wolfe after Emily Miller plated a run with a double and Maddi Edington had a three-run two-bagger. Bella Miller drew a bases-loaded walk just before Edington’s blast and Abby Cornett drove in the final run of the inning with a single before being caught trying to stretch the hit into a double. Katelynn Loudy came on in relief of Wolfe and pitched six innings, giving up just one run on one hit. East trailed 6-3 before tallying 10 runs in the last of the fourth, with Wolfe and Bawgus driving pitches over the left-field fence. Chelsea Sams and Amber Turner each had two RBI hits in the frame. East will face top-seeded Unicoi County on Monday at 8 p.m. Johnson County will take on Sullivan South in the losers’ bracket at 5 p.m.
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