MONTEREY — The LHSAA District 4-B championship was on the line Thursday afternoon as Monterey played host to Grace Christian.

And for five innings, neither team was able to get on the scoreboard. After Grace Christian scored first in the top of the sixth inning, Monterey rallied in the home half of the sixth and seventh innings to escape with a 2-1 win.

The Lady Wolves’ win over Grace Christian, coupled with Oak Hill’s upset win over Avoyelles Charter, gave them the district championship. Monterey, Grace Christian and Avoyelles Charter came into today’s games in a three-way tie for first place.

Ellen Bairnsfather tripled in the game-tying run in the bottom of the sixth inning and Paige Bryan kept Grace Christian off the scoreboard in the top of the seventh.

Then in the bottom of the seventh with the possibility of extra innings looming, Monterey catcher Kennedy Poole singled and went to second on an error by the Grace Christian left fielder.

Courtesy runner Natalie Duncan came in for Poole and went to third on a sacrifice bunt by Ashley Blake. With two outs, Baler Smith came through as her single brought in Duncan with the game-winning run.

Bryan went the distance and allowed one run one six hits, struck out nine and walked three in getting the win. Edwards suffered the loss despite holding Monterey to just five hits, striking out six batters walking none in six and two-thirds inning, and going 2-for-3 at the plate.

Monterey (13-12, 6-2) plays at Harrisonburg at 4 p.m. next Tuesday.

Block 3, St. Mary’s 0

NATCHITOCHES, La. — Kayla Smith pitched a complete-game three-hitter with four strikeouts and Nikki Harbor went 3-for-3 with a double as the Block Lady Bears defeated the St. Mary’s Lady Tigers in an LHSAA District 4-1A game Thursday afternoon.

Block scored one run in the top of the first inning and that was all the run support that Smith needed. The Lady Bears added one run in the top of the third inning and scored their final run of the game in the top of the fifth.

Smith helped her own cause by going 3-for-3 and Maura Cooper was 2-for-4. St. Mary’s was led by Lindsey Lee, who went 2-for-4.

Block (16-7, 4-1) hosts Montgomery on Saturday beginning at 2 p.m.

Cathedral at Vicksburg canceled

VICKSBURG — Cathedral’s non-region junior varsity and varsity games at Vicksburg that was scheduled to take place Thursday was canceled — and not because of bad weather.

The games were canceled because of Holy Thursday Mass at St. Mary Basilica, Lady Green Wave head coach Gary Blackwell. He said the games will not be rescheduled.

Cathedral next plays on Tuesday at home against West Lincoln in MHSAA Region 7-1A action with the JV game at 5 p.m. and the varsity game at 6 p.m.