HOBGOOD – They just couldn’t break through.

Ridgecroft School’s softball team powered their way into the finals of the Tarheel Independent Conference tournament, but the Lady Raiders of Hobgood Academy were just one obstacle they couldn’t overcome.

Monday afternoon, Hobgood took the TIC title, 14-5.

Ridgecroft lost just three games all season – all to Hobgood.

Brice Harrison had the big stick for the Lady Rams, going 2-for-3 with a double and driving in a run. Mary-Kate Morris was also 2-for-3.

Morris also absorbed the loss on the circle, allowing eight hits while striking out four and walking three. Erin Cooke came on to pitch an inning of relief giving up a pair of runs on three hits.

Katie Moore and Morgan Medford led Hobgood going 5-for-9 between them and driving in three runs and Schuyler Edmundson scored three runs.

Ridgecroft cracked through to open the contest, scoring a pair of runs in the first inning with two outs. Tayler Smith singled and later scored on a single by Morris and a Hobgood error. Harrison followed and reached on another Lady Raiders error which also scored Morris for a 2-0 Ridgecroft lead.

Hobgood got one of those runs back in the bottom of the frame when a runner reached on a dropped third strike, moved to second on a groundout and scored on the Lady Raiders first RBI double.

Hobgood broke it open by touching up Morris for five runs in the bottom of the third, getting three runs on back-to-back Ridgecroft errors with the bases loaded each time. A groundout and the Lady Rams’ third miscue of the inning accounted for the other two runs and a 6-3 Hobgood lead.

Morris led off the top of the fourth with a single and scored on Harrison’s double to trim the deficit to just a pair; but back came Hobgood in the bottom of the inning with three runs. Two came on a triple by Deanne Barwick, who later scored the third run on a passed ball.

Hobgood posted three more runs in the bottom of the fifth inning for a 12-3 lead before Ridgecroft got their bats revved up again.

In the top of the sixth, Harrison singled and scored on a double by Lindsay Jacob, who advanced to third on the throw home then came home on a wild throw to third on the same play.

Cooke relieved Morris for Ridgecroft in the bottom of the sixth, but it didn’t stem the Hobgood scoring: three straight singles with one aboard allowed the Lady Raiders to plate another pair and push their lead to 14-5.

Taylor Moore then closed out the complete game victory as she finished off the Lady Rams in the top of the seventh by retiring the side. Moore finished with five runs on six hits while striking out seven against no walks and was named tournament MVP.

Ridgecroft is now 14-3 and awaits their seeding in the upcoming NC Independent Schools Athletic Association state tournament.