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A State Tournament appearance is still in the cards for the Lady Raider softball team, but on Wednesday night, that road gained a major bump in the form of a 3-2 loss at Page in the Region Finals.

The Patriots, fresh off of their close win over Lincoln County in the Region Semifinals, came out of the gates swinging, picking up three quick outs in the top of the first inning, then scored the game’s first run in the bottom half of the first with a score by Adriana Callahan. Callahan hit a lead-off triple to get on base, then completed the trip home on a single by Anna Johnson.

Coffee County’s first hit of the game didn’t happen until the top of the third, where Maggie Montgomery hit a line drive single, but the Patriots snuffed out any chance for the Lady Raiders to score and kept their 1-0 lead intact.

With two quick outs in the bottom of the third, the Lady Raiders were one out away from keeping Page’s lead at 1-0, but the Patriots did not let the inning end on a quiet note. Anna Johnson, with one hit already in the game, singled on a hard ground ball, then MacKenzie Smith smacked a fly ball over the left field fence to make the score 3-0.

In the top of the fifth inning, the Lady Raiders finally had some momentum swing their way. Taylor McBride, who hit a lead-off single to start the inning, scored Coffee County’s first run of the game on a line drive single by Savannah Cooper, then Ella Arnold scored on a single by Paisley Campbell to pull Coffee County within a run, 3-2.

Despite their best efforts to rally, the Lady Raiders were held without a hit for the next two innings, and suffered their first loss in 18 days.

Box Score:

COF: 000 020 0 – 2 4 1

PGE: 102 000 x – 3 8 1

H: Paisley Campbell 2, Savannah Cooper 1, Taylor McBride 1.

RBI: Savannah Cooper 1(16), Paisley Campbell 1(44)

Starter: Lily Norman (6.0IP, 8H, 3R, 1BB, 10SO)

Up Next: Despite the loss in the Region Championship, the Lady Raiders still remain in the running for a State Tournament appearance. Coffee County must travel to Green Hill on Friday, May 16 and beat the Region 6 Champion Lady Hawks in the Sectional round to keep their season alive.