REGION FINALS

Corbin’s Kelly Farley makes a play at second base to get Clay County’s Morgan Chesnut out.

The Corbin Lady Redhounds jumped out to a 2-0 lead in the bottom of the first inning and never looked back in beating the Clay County Tigers, 5-1 in the semifinals of the 13^th Region Softball Tournament at North Laurel High School Tuesday night.

Corbin junior Hannah Hart got things going when she hit a long fly to left field that was dropped by the Clay County defender. Hart went to second on the play then scored on another Clay County error. Kelly Farley hit a line to third that hit off the third baseman.

The Lady Redhounds had a chance to blow the game open in the inning when Whitley Gatliff followed with a run-scoring single to center field. Callie Schoolcraft moved Gatliff to second on a sacrifice to third base and

Katie Bernardo hit into another error at short. The bases were loaded when a pitch hit Sydney Reynolds.

However, Amber Allen flew out to center field to end the winning with Corbin on top, 2-0. The Lady Redhounds did the damage with just one hit, three errors and a hit batter.

Clay County (24-6) tried to respond in the top of the second when Alex Roberts drew a walk and Halsey Parks hit a two-out single, but the runners were left stranded when Alicia Hicks grounded out to Hart.

Clay County cut the lead to one in the top of the third when Alex Smith bunted her way on board. She stole second went to third on an infield hit. Roberts picked up an RBI when she hit into an error at second that allowed Smith to score for a 2-1 game.

Corbin (21-13) missed on another big inning in the bottom of the third, but scored just one run after Bernardo hit a single to the infield while Schoolcraft went to second.

With the bases loaded Kaitley Jackson had a run-scoring single to right center field that allowed Bernardo to score the third run of the game for the Lady Redhounds.

The pitchers and defense settled down to retire 14 straight hitters before Clay County threatened in the top of the sixth. Alexis Napier opened the inning with a single down the right field line. Roberts popped up for the first out of the inning and Tracey Loughran hit into an error when Hart tried to pick off Napier going to second. Both runners were safe.

Hart then struck out Briana Smith and Parks to get out of the inning.

Corbin put the game away in the bottom of the sixth with two runs. Barton reached base on an infield error.  Back to back singles by Hart and Farley allowed the Redhounds to take a 5-1 lead in the game.

Corbin 5, Clay Co. 1

Clay Co.      001  000  0- 1  5  4

Corbin         201  002  x- 5  7  2

Hannah Hart and Callie Schoolcraft. Loughrun and Alex Roberts. W-Hart, L-Loughrun. 2B-Chestnut (CC).