Unaka kept the season alive on Thursday.
The Lady Rangers picked up an 8-2 victory over University High in the District 1-A elimination game on Stoney Creek.
Unaka advances into Friday’s elimination game against Cloudland with a spot in the District 1-A Championship game as well as a berth in the Region 1-A tournament on the line.
The Lady Rangers struck early.
Taylor Grindstaff got on base with a double and Mollie Buckles hit a single to plate Grindstaff. That gave UHS a 1-0 lead after an inning of play.
Keyonna Hague and Mattie Salyer opened the home side of the second with singles, and Hague scored after Gracie Stout put the ball in play. Haley Taylor pushed Salyer across the plate, while Grindstaff plated Alisha Harrell to add to the Unaka lead.
The Lady Rangers pushed the advantage to 5-0 when Jill Faust singled to score Taylor.
UH was able to plate two runs in the top of the third, but the Lady Rangers were unable to get a run back in the bottom of the inning as Salyer scored after Harrell put the ball in play.
In the bottom of the sixth, Unaka added two runs when Grindstaff hit a double to right field to score Kimberly Profitt and Harrell.
Grindstaff went 3-for-4 with three RBI, while Buckles and Taylor had two hits and an RBI apiece.
Salyer added two hits.
Profitt picked up the win in the pitching circle as she struck out seven batters with no earned runs on two hits in six innings of work.
