A late-inning rally by The Lady Highlanders fell short as Happy Valley won a thriller at home, 6-4, Thursday.

With Cloudland leading 1-0 after their half of the first inning the Lady Warriors came to bat in the bottom half of the inning. Lady Warrior Kaitlyn Roberts (7) struck out leading off before Happy Valley’s Calli Davis (18) reached on a walk. HV’s Olivia Kelly (6) hit a grounder to short forcing Davis out at second before HV’s Kadie Havner (13) doubled to left center scoring Kelly. HV’s Makaela Hughes (99) reached on an error on a hot shot to short scoring Havner. Next up for HV was Macy Puckett who drove a liner into the gap scoring Hughes for the third and final run of the bottom of the first.

The Lady ‘Landers went three up and three down in the top of the second.

Happy Valley added three more runs in the bottom half of the second. Claire Johnson lead off the inning with a shot that rolled all the way to the wall in center for a double, and Abby Holt reached on the second error in two-innings by Cloudland. Hughes stepped in next and on a 0-2 count drove a three-RBI shot down the right-field line that was just fair as it bounced past the first base bag for an inside the park home run. Giving the Lady Warriors a 6-1 lead.

Cloudland added a run in the top of the third on an RBI blooper by Krisi Bare. Happy Valley went three up, three down in the fourth and fifth innings.

Still trailing 6-2 when they came to bat in the top of the sixth the Lady ‘Landers dug in and came out slugging. Cloudland’s Bare and Kenzie Birchfield both singled down the left field line. Bare, however, was picked off on a throw down by catcher Olivia Kelly. Cloudland’s Leah Birchfield (1) singled to deep right and reached third on the throw as Kenzie Birchfield scored on the play. Happy Valley then made a pitching change with one out and one on, bring in Lady Warrior Abby Holt to get them out of the jam. Cloudland’s Rein Strickland greeted her with an RBI single to right plating Leah Birchfield for the second run of the inning. Holt settled down from there striking out the next batter before Cloudland’s Gracie Cook reached on a throwing error by shortstop HV’s Olivia Absher and she struck out Lady HighlanderJasmine Birchfield to end the inning.

Holt’s pitched a perfect seventh inning not allowing another base runner saving the game for starting pitcher Calli Davis.