The two-time and defending Class A state champion Forrest Lady Rockets faltered in their title defense, losing back-to-back games that resulted in elimination at the Spring Fling at Murfreesboro.

The tournament started off baldly for the Chapel Hill girls as Huntingdon's Sara Beth Hayes no-hit Forrest in a 1-0 loss in Tuesday's opening round.

It was deva vu for the two teams who last met in 2008 when Forrest prevailed 1-0 in the bottom of the eighth inning with the game ending on a passed ball that scored Amanda Daughrity from third base.

Forrest went on to win its first state championship that season.

Lone run

On Tuesday at same McKnight Field, the only run in the contest came on a homerun by Huntingdon's Angelina Culley in the top of the sixth inning.

Hayes, who struck out two and walked zero Forrest batters allowed only one baserunner in the contest when Stacey led off the bottom of the first inning and reached on an error.

Amanda Patterson sacrificed Stacey to second and a ground ball sent the Forrest left fielder to third before the inning ended on a ground ball to Taylor Smith at shortstop.

Second game

From there, both pitchers dominated until Culley's dinger in the sixth became the deciding factor in the contest, sending Forrest to the loser's bracket versus Midway on Wednesday morning.

After a scoreless first inning in game two, the Lady Rockets were swept away by the Green Wave from Kingston, who scored six runs in the top of the second inning that was highlighted by a Raygn Hall three-run homer to put Forrest in a hole they would never be able to overcome.

Forrest did come up with three runs in the bottom of the inning to cut the lead to 6-3 as Patterson came up with a two-run double and Carson Warner drove home one on an RBI single.

Last-gasp effort

Midway added a run in the top of the seventh to make it 7-3, while the Lady Rockets managed just two hits since the third inning.

The Lady Rockets never give in and never give up as they loaded the bases with one out in the bottom of the seventh on consecutive base hits by King, Warner and Jordan Yelensky before the title defense ended on a fly out to center field and a grounder to third base.

Forrest finished the season with a 28-11 record and loses three seniors, but is loaded with fresh talent in the sophomore, freshmen and eighth-grade classes.

King will be the only senior on the squad next season.

Tuesday, May 24

Huntingdon 000 001 0-1 6 2

Forrest 000 000 0-0 0 2

Huntingdon: Taylor Smith 2-for-3, Alli Jones 1-for-4, Cheyenne Childress 1-for-4, Leah Hayes 1-for-3, Angelina Culley 1-for-3

RS: Culley

HR: Culley

RBI: Culley

Forrest

ROE: Emma Stacey

SAC Bunt: Amanda Patterson

WP: Sara Beth Hayes (7IP, 0H, 0R, 0ER, 0BB, 2K)

LP: Samantha King (7IP, 6H, 1R, 1ER, 0BB, 1K

Wednesday, May 25

Midway 060 000 1-7 9 1

Forrest 003 000 0-3 10 2

Midway: Kelley 3-for-4, Sohm 2-for-4, Bertram 1-for-4, Hall 1-for-4, Higgins 1-for-4, McFee 1-for-4

RS: Sohm, Bertram, Kelley, Higgins, Chapman, Bosnak, Hill

BB: Rose

HR: Kelley

RBI: Kelley 3, Bertram 2, Rose, Chapman

Forrest: Kelsie Darnell 3-for-3, Amanda Patterson 2-for-3, Carson Warner 2-for-4, Samantha King 1-for-3, Jordan Yelensky 1-for-4, Brooke Paul 1-for-4

RS: Emma Stacey, Anna Blanton, Darnell

BB: Stacey, King

2B: Patterson

3B: Patterson

RBI: Patterson 2, Warner

WP: Hall

LP: Samantha King