The Lady Warriors dropped their conference match up with Unicoi 5-1 Tuesday at Happy Valley, and Lady Warriors head coach Bonnie Peters believes that errors made the difference.

“We had way to many errors,” Peters said after Tuesday’s game. “I counted ten errors. That is not acceptable. And we had some good hits but we did not connect them all together.”

With the game tied at one, things fell apart for the Lady Warriors in the top of the fifth as the Blue Devils posted four runs on the board to climb out to a 5-1 lead. Things got rolling with Unicoi’s Rylee Stiltner, who got on with a single, coming home off a double from teammate Cassi Foster. Foster wouldn’t be left stranded as Halie Hawkins smacked a single to give her a homecoming. The big inning was capped off with pitcher Halie Padgett blasting a double to left field to bring home both Hawkins and Abby Hensley.

“We had a big inning, and when we got stuff put together it helped,” Unicoi head coach Grady Lingerfelt said. “You can get all the hits you want, if they are scattered it doesn’t matter.”

The Lady Blue Devils picked up their first run in the top of the fourth, with Tonya Chavez making her way home to give her team a 1-0 lead, before holding Happy Valley scoreless in the bottom of the inning.

However, the Lady Warriors took care of business in the top of the fifth as Happy Valley pitcher Kalee Johnson stuck out three consecutive batters sending her team to the dug out. In the bottom of the inning, the Lady Warriors were able sneak Sydney Puckett in for a run as she came home from third off a sacrifice fly by Katie Havner. In the same inning, slap hitter Kaitlyn Roberts scooted to first off a bunt before making her way to second. With two outs, Johnsnon stepped up to plate. However, with Johnson blasting a triple in the inning prior, coach Lingerfelt decided to have Johnson walked. Johnson and Roberts were both stranded as catcher Olivia Kelly grounded out to second for the third out.

“She had ripped a shot already,” Lingerfelt said about his decision to have Johnson walked. “I have know her since she has came into the league, and I figured why take a chance when you can just keep the game tied.”

From the mound, Johnson went the distance for Happy Valley. The senior pitcher closed out the game with 11 strikeouts. For Unicoi, Padgett tossed six innings, during which she struck three batters. The Lady Warriors were led from the plate by Johnson, who went to 2-of-3 with a triple. Kenzie Davis also went 2-of-3 for the Lady Warriors, while Puckett finished going 2-of-2 with a run.

The Lady Warriors moved to 3-2 in the conference and will host Sullivan North on Thursday.

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The Happy Valley baseball team dropped its match up with Sullivan South 13-3 Tuesday night.