CLEVELAND, Tenn. -- After a short-lived tie at the top of the 5-4A softball standings that lasted some 24 hours, Cleveland regained the top spot Wednesday afternoon with a shutout win over Rhea County.
The final outcome of the district race will be determined next week when Walker Valley (4-1) wraps up its district schedule against McMinn County May 1. The 8-0 district finale over the Lady Eagles (9-13, 2-4 District 5-4A) sets the Lady Raiders up at 5-1.
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. If the Lady Mustangs lose to the Lady Cherokees, the Lady Raiders (18-12, 5-1) 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.
Cleveland's Lily O'Bryan got the complete game win against the Lady Eagles facing one 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. Landry 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 hone run of the season over the left-field fence to make it a 4-0 game.
Cleveland exploded in the bottom of the sixth with a four spot that put a lid o the win.
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, Emily Patterson extended the lead as the blasted a pinch hit dinger to center field to make it 6-0.
The Lady Raiders followed with five consecutive hits scoring two more runs upping the lead to 8-0. Jamaya Hill, Campbell, Abby Hozzouri, O'Bryan and Nelson all recorded safties in the six hit run.
O'Bryan and the Lady Raiders closed out the win with two fly balls and a strikeout to bring th day to a close.
“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 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 will play the waiting game until Wednesday to see who will lock down the top seed for the 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.”
Rhea County 000 000 0 — 0 1 0
Cleveland 101 024 x — 8 12 2
WP: Lily O'Bryan LP: Allie Shaver HR: O'Bryan, Ashley Allen, Alexis Folts (C). 2B: O'Bryan (C). Highlights: O'Bryan 4-4 3RS 2RBI, Lilly Nelson 2-4 2RBI, Ashley Allen RS RBI, Alexis Folts 1-1 RS RBI, Jamaya Hill RS, Reagan Campbell RBI (C). Records: Rhea County 9-13, 2-4; Cleveland 18-12, 5-1.