DECATUR — Polk County may have lost the battle, but the Lady Wildcats are still in the war.

The Meigs County Lady Tigers scored in their first three at bats to build a 4-0 lead and added two more winning the District 5-AA softball championship 6-2.

“We are just fortunate to even be here. There are a lot of 20-win teams that aren’t here. There is a 30-win team at East Hamilton in baseball that is going home,” said Polk coach Bill Triplett. “I know (Meigs County) coach Garland and what kind of program he runs. I say that with respect. There is a 20-win season at Bradley that is going home. I love coach Adams and I say that with all respect to their program and what he does. We are very fortunate to still be playing. We know our work is cut out for us. We are very fortunate to be in this situation.”

The Lady Tigers scored single runs in the first and second innings and took a 4-0 lead in the bottom of the third on a home run by winning pitcher Morgan Boggess.

The Lady Wildcats cut the lead in half with their only significant offense when Sydney Sloan answered Boggess with a deep homer over the left-center field fence to make it 4-2.

Meigs came back in the bottom of the fifth with two more runs off Polk County errors and held the Lady Wildcats scoreless to lock up the win.

“We won 24 games for the first time in school history. But, like I told the girls, you have to make plays. You’ve got to make every play and you’ve got to expect a close game. If we make plays today, we are still playing at 2-2. That changes the whole complexity of the game,” Triplett said. “Certain things may happen in the mean time, but I think we gave up four unearned runs today. That comes with youth. I hate to blame it on youth because you have to make those plays. I think our girls know that and I think they will make those plays.”

The Lady Wildcats will take today off before preparing for Monday’s region opener. Triplett said it doesn’t matter who their opponent will be, the Lady Wildcats will have to play their game wherever they are.

“I’m looking forward to Monday. Anytime you make it a one game playoff series anything can happen. I don’t care where we go. We are just going to go and try to have fun and relax. We want to send Caroline (Jenkins), our only senior, out with a bang,” said Triplett.

LADY TIGERS 6, LADY WILDCATS 2

Polk County 000 200 0 — 2 5 3

Meigs County 112 020 x — 6 11 0

WP: Morgan Boggess. LP: Jordan Triplett. HR: Sydney Sloan (PC); Boggess (MC). 2B: Madison Stiner (MC). Highlights: Boggess 2-3, Brandi Kilpatrick 2-3, Angel Davis 2-3 Kelsey Meadows 2-3. Records: Polk County 24-13; Meigs County 23-11.