WHITWELL, Tenn. — The invitations had been sent but the six seniors on Whitwell High School's softball team were in jeopardy of missing their own graduation.

With the school's commencement set for Friday evening, a loss in Wednesday's Region 3-A title game would have sent the Lady Tigers on the road for a sectional rather than joining their classmates on stage.

However a five-run rally in the home half of the sixth secured a 7-2 win over Sale Creek, assuring Whitwell of its second consecutive region crown and a home game Friday against Monterey at 6 EDT. Sale Creek will travel to Friendship Christian.

“I was really thinking at one point that the seniors were going to miss their own graduation,” said junior Whitney Long, who went 2-for-3 with two RBIs. “It was really making us mad when they came back and tied it. We had beaten them so much this year that it didn't seem possible we could lose to them until late in the game.

“They've had us the last couple of games, but we keep finding ways to come back.”

The Lady Tigers squandered scoring opportunities in three of the first four innings, stranding six including the fourth when they had runners at second and third before three consecutive strikeouts kept the game scoreless.

Consecutive sacrifice flies by Long and Taylor McDaniel put Whitwell ahead 2-0 in the fifth, but Sale Creek countered in the top of the sixth with a two-run double by Megan Garrett.

But after struggling for offense, Whitwell batted around in the sixth, helped along by three Lady Panthers' errors for the five-run outburst. Brandi Nunley's fielder's choice scored the go-ahead run and Shanda Barnett followed with an RBI hit before two insurance runs were plated on Sale Creek miscues.

“We left so many runners on base early in the game,” Whitwell coach Grace Pickett said. “I was beginning to wonder if we were ever going to score. I think we were getting a little frustrated.

“After they tied the game, I told the girls it was a whole new game and they had to do something about it. I'm really proud of the way they responded.”