CHATTANOOGA — Cleveland's softball girls made it to the Gold Division, but dropped their opening game in the rain-shortened Wildcat Class, at Warner Park Saturday.
With Friday's action washed out, the Lady Raiders (8-6) opened with an 8-5 win of GPS, before getting nipped by Cookeville 2-1 to wrap up the limited pool play.
In the Gold Bracket single-elimination action, Cleveland dropped a walk-off 3-2 decision to fellow District 5-4A Rhea County, whom they host the Lady Eagles in league action Tuesday.
The Lady Raiders will also entertain Ooltewah Thursday before playing in the Clifford Kirk Memorial next weekend.
Coming out of the gate strong, Cleveland, which had beaten GPS 12-2 earlier in the week, put four runs on the scoreboard in the game's first at bat.
GPS Answered with a pair of runs in the bottom of the frame, but the Lady Raiders matched them in the top of the second.
The Bruisers tacked on a solo score in the third before both teams scored twice in the fourth and final frame.
Cleveland's bats knocked out 10 hits, with sophomore Landri Nelson going 3-for-3 and circling the bases each time.
Roane State signee Ashley Allen went 2-for-3 at the dish, blasting her third home run of the season and her third double to drive in four runs, giving her 13 ribbies, plus she scored twice in the victory.
Furman signee Lily O'Bryan and sophomore Lily Mason also went 2-for-3 at the plate, with O'Bryan lacing a two-bagger and scoring twice.
Junior Allison Farnsorth ripped a double, drove in a teammate and completed the circuit herself.
O'Bryan earned the pitching victory, going the first three innings, striking out a pair, walking four and scattering a trio of hits while only allowing one earned run.
While senior hurlers Madison Lancaster and Allen dueled the distance, combining to allow just three hits total and striking out a half dozen in the four-inning action, the duo did surrender 10 free passes, while the defenses committed four miscues.
The Cookeville hurler tossed a two-hitter, but walked five and "plunked" a pair, while the Cleveland pitcher allowed just two hits, but issued three base on balls.
The Lady Cavaliers circled the bases twice in the opening inning while the Lady Raiders fought back with a single score in the top of the fourth.
Farnsworth had Cleveland's only hit, driving in Nelson with the lone run.
Cleveland once again got off to an early start with Nelson and Farnsworth both getting a hit and scoring in the opening at bat, with Allen providing a RBI-hit as well.
However, that was all the Lady Raiders could come up with as Rhea County (3-4) put up a pair in the bottom of the third and then came up with a walk-off score in the fifth.
Senior Reagan Campbell went 2-for-2 at the dish, while Mason added the other Cleveland hit.
Freshman Emily Patterson went the distance in the circle for the Lady Raiders, striking out four and walking two, while scattering five hits.
