CHAPEL HILL — Hits were far and few between for both Forrest and Cascade in Monday afternoon’s District 7-AA tournament opener.
While Cascade starting pitcher Brianna Horn pitched well, it was Forrest’s Taylor Moreland who was near perfect from the pitcher’s circle.
The Lady Rocket flamethrower kept the base paths clear for the most part and struck out five Cascade batters en route to a 7-0 shutout win to open the 2023 postseason.
While Moreland was spinning a gem from the pitcher’s circle, the Lady Rockets made the most of their chances on base.
After Moreland sat the Lady Champs down in order in the first inning, which included two strikeouts, Forrest went on to load the bases in the bottom of the frame after Macyn Kirby was hit by a pitch and Moreland and Ella Chilton drew two-out walks to load the bases.
It was then third-straight walk by Maggie Daughrity that plated the first run of the game.
Carli Warner drew the fifth walk of the first inning for Forrest and plated the second Lady Rocket run for the 2-0 lead.
The game’s first hit didn’t come until Warner slugged a RBI double to deep center field, scoring Abby Ferguson, in the bottom of the third.
Forrest scored its third run of the game off a bases loaded walk when Kirby drew the base on balls to score a second Lady Rocket run in the third frame.
Cascade threatened in the fourth inning when the first batter of the inning was hit by a pitch to safely reach.
But Moreland answered with a strikeout and the Lady Rocket defense flashed the leather behind her and recorded a double play to end the inning.
Forrest added two more runs in the fourth inning, coming on another bases-loaded situation when Briley Burnham was hit by a pitch and then when Daughrity scored on a passed ball.
Forrest put a cap on the game with a squeeze by Christa Warren that scored Kirby.
Daughrity and Warner recorded the only hits of the game for either team.
The win sets Forrest on a collision course with Community, who Forrest split with in the regular season.
During their first meeting, Community claimed a walk-off win in dramatic fashion, while Forrest claimed Game 2 in a dandy of a 1-0 pitcher’s duel.
The Lady Rockets will travel to Unionville on Tuesday afternoon to take on the top-seeded Viqueens at 5:30 p.m.

Cascade 000 000 0 — 0 0 0
Forrest 202 210 x — 7 2 0

Forrest: Maggie Daughrity 1-for-3, Carli Warner 1-for-2.
WP: Moreland
LP: Horn