RUTLEDGE – What a difference a day can make.

After Grainger lost to Volunteer on Monday night because of multiple errors, they bounced back Tuesday by riding their defense to a 4-3 win over Cherokee in the elimination round of the district tournament.

An ecstatic head coach Ben Williford was singing his teams’ praises after they downed the Lady Chiefs to live another day in the post-season. “Defense was huge for us. We were locked in and we had talked about it because we didn’t execute (against Volunteer). Those three big plays were just incredible.”

The trio of key plays highlighted the Lady Grizzly victory with each coming at the most opportune time. The first play came when Kaylee Sturgill made a tough stab to record an out in the fifth inning when the bases were loaded. The next came in the seventh inning with the Lady Grizzlies clinging to a one-run lead. Rylyn Woods made a hard charge in from centerfield to rob Cherokee of what appeared to be a sure Lady Chief hit. “That play was just unbelievable,” Williford said.

The final play of the game provided the third major highlight of the contest for Grainger. Catcher McKinley Mills was keeping a keen eye towards first base during several pitches from Shylo Williford and she made a snap throw to first baseman Grace Lincoln who put the tag on for the last out. “I had been waiting on Mills to make that play all year,” Williford joked. “Their girl was way off first base and not ready for the throw down there.”

Cherokee struck first when Kenzie Collins smacked a solo home run in the top of the first inning. Grainger responded in the home half of the first when Emma Hodge singled in Mills and Destanee Davis brought Jaylee Hayes home on a sacrifice bunt.

The Lady Chiefs tied the contest at 2-2 in the third when Maylan Bates drew a lead-off walk and scored on Ally Chandler’s sacrifice. Grainger broke the tie in the fourth when Amanda Kledzik singled, advanced to third on an error and came home on a wild pitch. The home team added an insurance run, and it turned out to be the winning one, when Williford led off the bottom of the sixth with a single and Davis picked up an RBI with a single down the first base line.

Cherokee wasn’t done yet as they made things very interesting in the top of the seventh. Collins drew a one-out walk and later stole home to allow the Lady Chiefs to pull within a run at 4-3. That was when Woods and Mills saved the day with their two outstanding plays.

Williford notched the win as she had 11 strikeouts and worked out of bases-loaded jams in the third and fifth innings.

Grainger will take on Greeneville in an elimination game on Thursday at 5:30. The winner of that game will face Volunteer immediately following for the tournament title.