The 11-seed keeps on dancing.

Three runs in the top of the seventh inning fueled Wake Forest softball’s latest victory over a top seed. The Cougars are a win away from appearing the 4A state championship series after defeating 1-seed Garner 5-2.

Tied up at 2-2, freshman Mia Spahlinger started the final frame with a single to left. Kaylee Bowers bunted her over a batter later, but an error on the play allowed the run to score and gave Wake Forest a 3-2 advantage.

Taylor Jones kept the line moving with a one-out single, Jil Livengood did the same. Both came across with two down thanks to singles off the bats of both Olivia Morgan and Paisley Meyers. In total, eight stepped to the plate and five registered hits.

Jones spun one final dominant inning to secure the 5-2 victory.

Early on, Garner had a quick lead.

The Trojans took advantage of a one out walk and hit batsman in the bottom of the first. Raleigh Stewart raced home on a passed ball to grab a 1-0 lead with two away.

Wake Forest grabbed its first lead of the night at 2-1 thanks to a pair of runs in the third. Morgan and Meyers were right in the middle of the damage, plating Jones and Mariah Ohlson with a ground out and single.

Garner instantly fought back to pull even. Gaby Mizelle launched her sixth home run of the season to make it 2-2.

The Trojans got 2.2 innings out of starting pitcher Gabby Czuczuk. She exited in the third after allowing two unearned runs on six hits while striking out three. Stewart went the final 4.1 innings and was tagged with the loss after allowing three runs on five hits, she did manage to strike out 10.

Jones and Livengood teamed up to strike out 10 of their own. The duo allowed two runs, one earned, on four hits and five walks.

Game two of the series shifts across Wake County to Wake Forest where the Cougars host on Thursday night at the Boys and Girls Club of Wake Forest.

Source: highschoolot.com