For four innings Tuesday, the Cedartown Lady Bulldogs battled the No. 2 ranked Class AAA fast-pitch softball team in the state to a scoreless tie.

But in the top of the fifth inning, Heritage-Catoosa erupted for eight runs en route to an 8-0 win that was stopped after five innings due to the Georgia High School Association (GHSA) mercy rule.

"It seemed like everything they hit in the fifth inning had eyes," Cedartown head coach Chris McKelvey said. "We didn't make a whole lot of mistakes, they just had a good inning."

Renae Johnson started the decisive fifth inning by reaching on an error. With Johnson on second, Amber Burton would hit the ball to third base. Cedartown's Karlee Agan attempted to throw Johnson out at second base as she had gotten a little to far off base. However, Johnson beat the throw to the bag to put runners on first and second with no outs.

After a double steal, Allison Vaughn hit an RBI single to make it 1-0. Allison Walker followed with a sacrifice bunt to make it 2-0. With one out, Brandy Goldsmith would bunt the ball. On the play, Cedartown attempted to get a runner out at home, however, the Lady General scored to make it 3-0.

Allie Hillis smacked a two-run single to push the score to 5-0 and Johnson hit a RBI single to make it 6-0 during her second at-bat of the inning. Burton capped the big rally by connecting for a two-run single to make it 8-0.

"We've got to battle and regroup," McKelvey said.

Cedartown (7-5, 1-2) had one hit in the game against Marissa Patterson. Skylan Cole singled to left field to start the second inning. However, that would be the furthest a Lady Bulldog would get all game.

For Heritage-Catoosa (11-2, 3-0), Vaughn led the way at the plate by going 2-for-2 with an RBI. On the mound, Patterson pitched all five innings and allowed no runs on one hit with seven strikeouts and no walks.

Cedartown is back on the diamond Thursday, traveling to Pickens County for a Region 7-AAA clash at 5:30 p.m.