№6 Chatham softball upends №3 Floyd County in Region 2C quarterfinals

Chatham proved why games aren’t played on paper against №3 Floyd County on Thursday night…

FLOYD — Chatham proved why games aren’t played on paper against №3 Floyd County on Thursday night.

The Cavaliers punched the Buffaloes in the mouth early and never looked back in an 8–2 win over Floyd in the Region 2C quarterfinals.

№6 Chatham advances to the semifinals where it will take on №2 Patrick County or №7 Dan River on June 3 at 6 p.m. If the Wildcats win, the Cavaliers will host. If the Cougars win, the ‘Cavs will make the trip up to Stuart.

It was the top of the seventh inning that played the difference as Chatham (11–10) tagged Floyd for five runs in the frame to break open a two-run game. Senior Kayleigh Harmon started the scoring when she came home on an error on senior Cora Liggon’s bunt and freshman Macie Short scored freshman Jasmine Smoot with her sacrifice fly to right field. Sophomore Abigail Custer made it a five-run game with her single to center that scored Liggon and freshman Addalyn Kitchens pushed the Cavaliers’ lead to six with her RBI single. Sophomore Gabrielle Custer capped the rally moments later when she scored on an error on junior Sophie Doss’s ground ball to give the ‘Cavs an 8–1 lead.

Showing a bit of life, Floyd (14–8) didn’t go quietly into the night, answering back with a run in its half of the seventh on sophomore Lilly Gillespie’s solo home run that led to the final score.

Liggon and Short paced Chatham’s efforts with two RBI apiece while Abigail Custer and Kitchens drove in a run each. Gabrielle Custer smacked a game-high four hits while Abigail Custer added three and Smoot finished with two.

Gillespie and senior Winslet Vassar recorded an RBI apiece for the Buffaloes while Gillespie and freshman Sienna Shepherd recorded two hits each.

Liggon got the win in the circle, giving up eight hits and two runs, both earned, and striking out six in the complete-game win.

Chatham came in upset minded and carried out its mission from the start, tagging Floyd for a pair of runs in the top of the first inning. Smoot got on base the hard way after getting plunked by a pitch with one out and Liggon followed with a cause-helping two-run, home run to center field that gave the Cavaliers a 2–0 lead.

After being stymied by Liggon in the opening two frames, the Buffaloes broke through for a run in the bottom of the third. Junior Kyra Vaughn got the two-out rally going with a walk and junior Emma Biesterveld followed with a single to left that put the tying runs on base. Gillespie was hit by a pitch to load the bases and Vassar followed with a bases-loaded walk to pull Floyd within 2–1. Liggon shut things down from there, inducing a popout to second to get Chatham out of the jam.

The Cavaliers picked up an insurance run in the top of the fifth for a two-run lead. Smoot got the ball rolling with a one-out double to left and Short followed with a single to left that plated Smoot for a 3–1 lead.