BLAIRSVILLE, GA – The UCMS Lady Panthers scored five runs through the first two innings and managed to fight off a surge late to take down White County, 6-4, Monday, Sept. 23, in the first round of postseason tournament play. With the win over the No. 3 Lady Warriors, the second-seeded Lady Panthers earned a spot in the conference championship game against the top-seeded Dragonettes from Pickens County.

The win against White County was the eighth in a row for the Panthers (17-2), who were led by Sierra Burnett and Georgia Patton at the plate.

Mikayla Souther fires the ball in from the outfield for the UCMS Lady Panthers. Souther had a hit and drove in a run in Union County’s 6-4 win against White Co. on Monday.

Burnett went 3-for-4 and drove in a run while Patton chipped in two hits as the only two Union County players with a multi-hit game.

Aubrie Akins, Layla Akins, and Makayla Souther drove in a run each.

After holding White County scoreless in the top of the first, the Union County bats went to work.

After Patton singled on a groundball to shortstop, Burnett smacked a flyball triple to right field. Patton scored one of her team-high three runs on the hit to give Union County the 1-0 lead.

After a pair of drawn walks and a stolen base, the Panthers had the bases loaded with one out.

Layla Akins drew a five-pitch walk, scoring Burnett, and moving the score to 2-0.

Souther then hit an RBI-groundout to first base, scoring Aubrie Akins for Union County’s last run of the inning.

Aubrie Akins stands ready at the plate for the UCMS Lady Panthers. Akins drove in a run, scored a run, and drew two walks in a 6-4 defeat of White Co. on Monday.

After a 1-2-3 inning on defense, the Panthers went back to work in bottom of the second. Patton drove a hard groundball into centerfield to earn a one-out double.

Burnett then singled to push Patton to third.

Patton and Burnett both scored due to back-to-back White County errors to give the Panthers the 5-0 lead heading into the third inning.

Union County added another run in the bottom of the fourth inning. Patton scored the last of her three runs thanks to a two-out sacrifice from Aubrie Akins to give the Panthers their final run of the game.

Trailing 6-0 heading into the top of the sixth, White County threatened. The visitors put four runs on the board and could have tied the game.

With two outs and two on base a five-pitch strikeout managed to get Union County out of the inning without further damage.

The 6-4 win earned Union County a spot in the championship game later the same day against Pickens County.