BY CLIFF SMELLEY
Telegraph Staff Writer
The Union County High School softball team built an eight-run lead and defeated host Madison County 10-6 in a May 12 Region 3-1A semifinal game.
Union (18-5), which is the region’s third seed, travels to play number-one seed Fort White (14-7) for the Region 3 championship on Tuesday, May 17, at 7 p.m.
The semifinal game was a rematch of the District 5-1A championship game, which Madison won 7-4. The Cowgirls (14-10) never trailed in that game, but the Region 3 semifinal was a different story.
McKenzie Clemons hit a two-run single to help the Tigers take a 3-0 lead in the first inning. Angela Tucker reached on a one-out walk, stole second and then advanced to third on a passed ball. After Hailey Rivera drew a two-out walk, Nyasia Williams hit a single to bring in the first run. Hayley Burke was hit by a pitch before Clemons stepped to the plate and hit a grounder into center field.
The Tigers added a run in the second when Tucker, who reached on a two-out error, scored on a Leah Clark double.
Madison scored its first run in the bottom of the second, with Brianna Thompson, who walked, scored on Merridy Archambault’s two-out single.
Union then put together a five-run third inning that proved to be vital. The Tigers loaded the bases with no outs. Burke reached on an error, Clemons doubled and Mackenzie Orton was hit by a pitch. Hannah Rivera drove in one run on a single, while Clemons scored on a wild pitch. Tamia Young hit a two-run single and scored herself on a single by Tucker, making the score 9-1.
The Cowgirls scored five runs in the fourth and fifth innings, with all but one coming on home runs. Josie Driggers hit a three-run shot in the fourth, while Morgan Sevor had a solo homer in the fifth.
It was 9-6 going into the top of the seventh. Hannah Rivera drew a one-out walk, followed by Tucker hitting a two-out single. Clark was intentionally walked, loading the bases for Hailey Rivera, who drew a walk to force a run in and put the Tigers up 10-6.
Madison’s Sevor led off the bottom of the seventh by reaching on an error. The Tigers’ defense recorded two straight outs before Mackenzi Bochnia hit a single. Union pitcher Megan Sullivan ended the game when she struck out Tsadi Irvine on a 2-2 pitch.
Clemons, who was 2 for 3, and Young each finished with two RBI. Clark, Tucker, Williams, Hailey Rivera and Hannah Rivera each had one RBI, with Tucker going 2 for 4.
The winner of the May 17 Region 3 championship game will advance to the Final Four and play a semifinal game on Tuesday, May 24, at a time to be announced.
The state tournament will be held at Clermont’s Legends Way Ball Fields.
