UNIONVILLE — An early Cascade lead didn’t hold during Thursday night’s District 7-AA county clash between the Lady Champs and Community.
The Viqueens belted out 13 hits and rallied past Cascade and were able to cling to a 6-5 win over Cascade.
Cascade jumped on starter Haley Mitchell in the first inning and plated three runs to take an early command of the game.
Senior Lani Jones singled to center field and a Community error allowed Ella Thompson to safely reach base.
Jones took advantage of the Viqueen miscue and eventually scored the game’s first run.
Vera Bilbro safely reached on another Lady Champion single and a double by Audrey Perry plated two more runs for the 3-0 Cascade lead.
Community got a pair of runs back in the bottom of the inning following a one-out double by Abi Brown.
She later scored on a single by Taylar Wessner.
Wessner then scored on a single Claire Perry, pulling Community within one run by the end of the second.
In the top of the second inning, Mitchell retired the first two Lady Champion batters, bringing Jones to the plate, who connected for her second hit in as many trips to the plate.
She stole second and then scored her second run of the game on a RBI single by Thompson to bump Cascade’s lead to two runs.
In the third inning, Community turned to Wessner to take over in the pitcher’s circle and after the adjustment, Cascade struggled to put the ball in play against the Viqueen freshman.
In fact, Cascade managed just one single, a third inning hit by Perry, against Wessner.
The only other Lady Champion base runners came via walks or Viqueen errors in the field.
With the Viqueen flamethrower keeping the base paths clear, the Viqueens went to work at the plate in the bottom of the fourth.
Abi Murrill tripled to left to lead off and then was tagged out on a heads up play by Cascade catcher Kyndal Bolden.
Community responded with three-straight singles by Bentley, Hailey Farrar and Chloe West.
All three scored in the inning, putting the Viqueens in front, 5-4.
Community played add on in the sixth with a leadoff single by West.
She later scored on a single by Brown, which proved to be the game-winner.
Cascade answered the late Viqueen score when Jones drew a lead-off walk to reach for her third time of the night.
Thompson then drove in Jones when she ground out to first.
But that’s as close as Cascade would come as Wessner settled in to record the final two outs and preserve the one-run win.
Jones was the top producer for Cascade, going 2-for-3 with three runs scored, while Perry went 2-for-2 with a double and two RBIs.
Pope got the start for Cascade and went the distance for the Lady Champs.
Mitchell started for Community and pitched two innings, giving up four runs on five hits, only one of which was earned, while striking out three.
Wessner took over and pitched the final five innings, allowing one run on one hit, while striking out seven.
As a team, the Viqueens connected for 13 hits.
Murrill had a night at the plate, going 3-for-3 with a double and a triple.
Brown went 3-for-4 with a double and three RBIs, while West and Farrar also had two-hit nights.
Community will hit the road on Monday and travel to Cannon County for a 5 p.m. first pitch, while Cascade hosts Forrest at 5:30 p.m.

Cascade 310 000 1 — 5 6 0
Community 200 301 x — 6 13 4

Cascade: Lani Jones 2-for-3, Ella Thompson 1-for-4, Vera Bilbro 1-for-3, Audrey Perry 2-for-2.
2B: Perry
Community: Abi Brown 3-for-4, Taylar Wessner 1-for-4, Claire Blanton 1-for-3, Abi Murrill 3-for-3, Emma Bentley 1-for-3, Chloe West 2-for-3, Hailey Farrar 2-for-2.
2B: Murrill, Brown
3B: Murrill
WP: Wessner
LP: Pope