MT. HERMON, N.C. – It took an extra inning, but Hickory Ridge escaped with a key non-conference victory to open Southern Alamance’s 28th Annual Easter Invitational.

After Corinth Holders rallied for two in the top of the seventh, Katie Rhyne drew a bases-loaded walk in the bottom of the eighth to send the Ragin’ Bulls to Saturday’s title game with a 3-2 win.

The late rally from the Pirates was the lone blemish on an outstanding afternoon for Kristyn Embler.

Hickory Ridge’s Furman recruit allowed three runs over eight innings of work and struck out 11. Three pitches into the bottom of the first, she helped her own cause with a lead-off home run to dead center.

Embler danced out of danger in the third and fourth innings, then got insurance from her offense in the fifth.

Kennedy Morgan, who went 2-for-3 at the plate, singled to start the bottom of the frame. Alexis Smereka doubled her to third, and Hailey Faulkenberry scored her on a sacrifice fly to right.

With their backs to the wall in the seventh, the Pirates pulled back even. Liana Giron walked, and her courtesy runner, Savannah Goddard, moved to second on a wild pitch and third on a passed ball.

Mia Gwynn followed with a bunt base hit, and Kelly McKnight followed with a line drive into left to plate both.

Hickory Ridge was held off the board in the seventh, and Embler leaned on her defense to work a 1-2-3 eighth.

Two errors and a hit by pitch loaded the bases with one out for Rhyne. She took a first-pitch strike before watching the next four fall out of the zone to plate Liza Baker from third.

Corinth Holders got 3.1 innings from starter Eli McKenzie, who struck out three and allowed six hits. Pyper Vardy took the loss despite striking out seven and allowing only two hits over four innings.

Morgan and Smereka were the only two Ragin’ Bulls with multi-hit games.

Hickory Ridge is now 14-2 overall and will face South Granville on Saturday morning for the tournament championship. Corinth Holders fell to 11-4 and will take on Southern Alamance in the consolation bracket.

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