Jim Walker
jim.walker@irontontribune.com

CHESAPEAKE — Better late than never.
The Chesapeake Lady Panthers rallied with six runs in the sixth inning to beat the upset-minded Fairland Lady Dragons 7-5 in the Division III sectional tournament on Wednesday.
“We were flat and didn’t play well for most of the game, but we finally got our offense going before it was too late,” said Chesapeake coach Aaron Rice.
Brooke Webb picked up the win with nine strikeouts and two walks.
Chesapeake (12-10) plays at Minford on Friday at 5 p.m. in the sectional finals.
Fairland took a 3-0 lead in the top of the first inning.
Halie Williams walked, Morgan Fridley and Erin Rowe singled for a run, and a Chesapeake error scored Fridley. Hannah Marcum singled in the third run.
Chesapeake got a run back in the bottom of the inning on doubles by Ryleigh Swann and Webb.
The Lady Dragons got the run back in the second when Williams reached on an error, moved up on a ground out and scored on Erin Rowe’s base hit.
Fairland added a run in the fourth to lead 5-1.
Meredith Taylor singled, Williams hit into a force play but Fridley followed with an RBI double.
But finally Chesapeake’s bats came to life in the sixth.
Lyric Bair reached on a two-base error to open the inning. Breanna Russell then got an RBI double, Jenny Mills had a run-scoring single, and pinch-runner Chloe Handley went to second when Ashley Tackett walked.
Swann smacked an RBI double to make it 5-4. Katy Spears bunted to score a run to score the tying run. Webb stepped up and drilled a two-run homer to right field to give Chesapeake the lead.
In the top of the seventh, Webb retired the side in order to seal the win.
Swann was 3-3 with two doubles and Webb 2-4 with a double and home run to lead the Chesapeake 8-hit attack. Mills was 2-3.
Fridley was 2-4 with a double and Rowe 2-4 to pace Fairland.
Fairland    310    100    0    =    5    8    3
Chesapeake    100    006    x    =    7    8    3
Halie Williams and Devin Mason. Brooke Webb and Jordan Storms. W-Webb (K-9, BB-2). L-Williams (K-2, BB-2). Hitting-FHS: Morgan Fridley 2-4 2B, Erin Rowe 2-4, Holli Leep 1-4, Hannah Marcum 1-3, Devin Mason 1-3, Meredith Taylor 1-3; Chesy: Ryleigh Swann 3-3 2-2B, Brooke Web 2-4 2B HR, Breanna Russell 1-2 2B, Jenny Mills 2-3.