Sand Rock righted its ship in convincing fashion against Spring Garden in the county tournament playback semifinals last Friday at Sand Rock.

An 8-3 opening round loss to the Lady Panthers knocked the Lady Wildcats to the unfamiliar territory of the loser bracket.

The Lady Rockers proceeded to defeat Cedar Bluff and Gaylesville before earning a rematch against the Garden girls.

Spring Garden soon became the hosts’ third straight victim, as Sand Rock used 12 hits and a strong pitching performance from Taylor Burt to earn a 7-2 win and a spot in the championship game.

In a complete game effort, Burt scattered four hits and four walks while striking out 13.

Only one out of five Spring Garden baserunners made it past first base over the first five innings, by which time the Lady ‘Cats had a 6-0 lead.

At the plate for Sand Rock, Kristen Bobo went 2-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored, while Ashley Adams went 2-for-4 with two runs scored.

Kristin Brown went 2-for-4 with an RBI, while Taryn Teat went 2-for-4 with a run scored.

Burt went 1-for-3 with two RBI and a run scored, while Amy Crane had a triple, two RBI and a run scored.

For the Lady Panthers, Jessie Barnes went 1-for-3 with an RBI and a run scored, while Brittany Heath went 1-for-3 with a run scored.

Jessica Wall went 1-for-3, while Breanna Messer went 1-for-2.

Sand Rock took the lead for good when Burt’s second-inning double plated Adams.

With Burt keeping the Spring Garden offense in check, the Lady Wildcats laid the hammer down in the top of the fourth.

Adams’ leadoff single paid off when she scored on Kristen Bobo’s base hit, and Kelsey Hanson’s score off an error made it 3-0.

Burt’s sacrifice fly drove on Bobo, while Teat came home on Crane’s triple. Crane later scored for a 6-0 Sand Rock advantage.

Burt came home on Crane’s groundout in the following inning to cap the Lady Wildcat offense.

The Lady Panthers finally got on the scoreboard in the bottom of the sixth, when Berry scored on Barnes’ single and Barnes came around on Heath’s base hit.

That was the extent of Spring Garden’s damage, however, and a sharp-looking double play in the bottom of the seventh earned Sand Rock the chance to defend its county title against CCHS