OVERLAND PARK, Kan. – After getting off to a rocky start to the Region 6/District Tournament in Topeka, the Johnson County Community College softball team is still battling and still alive for a potential title, but the road will be much tougher. 

The top-seeded Lady Cavaliers lost their second-round game 9-6 to No. 5-seed Fort Scott Wednesday afternoon and were knocked into the consolation bracket in the double-elimination tournament. Johnson County will now face No. 6-seed Allen Thursday at 2 p.m. 

For the Lady Cavaliers to claim the title, they will need to reel off five straight wins beginning with a matchup against No. 6-seed Allen today at 2 p.m. A victory to move them up to a matchup with either Cowley or Kansas City Kansa at 6 p.m. 

In their opening game of the tournament, Johnson County trailed by four runs late but rallied for a 10-6 victory plating seven runs in the bottom of the sixth inning. The big blows in the rally came freshman second baseman Izzy Carter and freshman shortstop Jaylee Jefferson. Carter doubled to drive in three runs and Jefferson blasted a two-run home run over the center field wall.

Sophomore Taryn Burkhardt, freshman Aspen Burgardt, sophomore Kate Ediger and sophomore Deja Gardenhire each picked an RBI in the game. 

Freshman right-hander Mariah Unverzagt pitched the final three and two-thirds innings in relief to pick up the victory. 

In the second-round loss, Fort Scott got on the board first with a three-spot in the top of the third inning, but the Lady Cavaliers quickly responded with six runs in the bottom half of the inning, but that would be the end of their scoring. 

The Greyhounds took the lead for good in the top of the fourth off a grand slam from Avery Ragsdale. Fort Scott added two more insurance runs in the top of the seventh. 

Jefferson went 2-for-4 with a home run and four RBI, and Burhardt was 3-for-4 that included a solo homer.