COLUMBUS - Cherokee traveled to the final round of the Class AAAA Fast-Pitch Softball State Championships thanks to stifling defense and timely hitting.

In Saturday's title game with Northgate, the Lady Warriors' recipe for success fell a single run short.

Cherokee fell, 2-1, to the Lady Vikings to end a run of late-season heroics. The loss was the Lady Warriors' third to Northgate after Friday night's 4-2 setback and a 1-0, eight-inning loss Sept. 4.

"There is absolutely nothing for them to hang their heads about," Cherokee coach Tonya Carlisle said. "It's hard to tell them that right now, but they are going to look back on this and know they did something special this year and that is exciting."

The Lady Warriors won 10 straight games to earn the No. 3 seed from Region 5AAAA and reach the Elite Eight in Columbus. The streak ended Friday night against Northgate, but Cherokee rallied to beat Marist, 3-0, Saturday morning and drew the Lady Vikings again in the championship round, needing two victories to win the state title.

Northgate struck early with a home run to center from Jackie Casteneda in the top of the second to make it 1-0. The Lady Vikings extended their lead in the top of the sixth with Chelsea Williamson singling to score Kysoo Kerkes, making it 2-0.

Cherokee cut its deficit in half in the bottom of the inning when Abbey Meixel hit a triple to score Sharon Swanson. Jerrah Baker reached on a single in the bottom of the seventh to represent the tying run, but Northgate's Kelsey Floyd forced three ground outs to end the game.

"This program has come a long way in four years," Carlisle said. "I wanted it badly for these seniors. They played up until the last day they could possibly play their senior year. I am proud of them. There is nothing for them to hang their heads about. They had a heck of a run."

Meixel had eight strikeouts in a runner-up performance in addition to eight in the game with Marist. The Lady Warriors broke the game open in the bottom of the second when the Lady Eagles committed two errors to let up three runs from Kristen Chester, Baker and Ashley Moss; the last coming from a sacrifice bunt from Natalie Rhodes.

"After getting down here last year, we definitely set our sights on getting back and not having big eyes when we got here," Carlisle said. "You couldn't ask for anything more than to be playing in this game. We were here with a chance and that is all you can ask for."

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