WEST PALM BEACH- The Clewiston High School Lady Tigers varsity softball team rallied late in the seventh inning to defeat the King’s Academy Lady Lions 8-7 on March 23.

The Lady Lions took the lead in the bottom of the sixth inning. Cai Machuga hit a blast to right field that brought in two runs and put King’s Academy up 7-6.

With their last opportunity at bat in the top of the seventh, the Lady Tigers responded.

Clewiston’s Ali Cruz led off with a single. Jayla Vallejo followed that up with a grounder to the short stop. The Lady Lions were able to throw out Vallejo at first, but the hit still advanced Cruz to second base. Jade Potter then singled on a grounder up the third base line.

With the tying run on third and winning run on first, Macy Chancey stepped up to the plate and hit an absolute dart to center field. Cruz reached home to tie the game, and Potter wasn’t far behind. King’s Academy attempted to pick off Potter between third and home, but smart base running and a quick reaction from Potter put the Lady Tigers up 8-7.

The Lady Lions looked like they might have had a response of their own when the led off with a double in the bottom of the seventh.  But Clewiston’s Ryland Polhill sat down the next two batters before finally striking out King’s Academy's Margot McFadden swinging.

Next the Lady Tigers are back in Clewiston, hosting cross-county rival LaBelle on March 26. LaBelle defeated Clewiston earlier in the season 15-5, with LaBelle freshman Marissa Burchard bringing in a whopping 6 RBI’s.

Clewiston and LaBelle take the field at 7 p.m.