BUFORD — Buford scored five runs in the sixth inning to rally past Cherokee Bluff 9-5 on Wednesday, Sept. 30, at the Buford Softball Complex.

Junior Taylor Jackson struck out a career-high 10 batters in a complete-game victory, improving to 8-2. In her 12th start of the season, Jackson allowed four hits and five runs, four earned, over seven innings in the nonregion contest.

Senior Ella Pierce Hensley helped lead the comeback, finishing with a home run, a double and two RBIs.

The Wolves took a 2-0 lead in the first inning, scoring on a wild pitch and Hensley’s sacrifice bunt, which brought home senior Brooklyn Atha. Junior Taylor Sawyer extended the lead to 3-0 with a home run to open the second, her seventh of the season.

Jackson retired all six batters she faced through the first two innings, but Cherokee Bluff broke through for five runs in the third. Three walks and a double down the right-field line helped the Bears take a 5-3 lead.

Hensley answered with a two-out solo homer in the bottom of the third, her seventh of the year, to pull Buford within a run.

The Wolves still trailed 5-4 entering the sixth when Hensley sparked the decisive rally with a double to right-center field. Sawyer later tied the game with a fielder’s choice grounder to shortstop that scored Hensley from third.

Buford followed with three consecutive bunts, and a costly Cherokee Bluff error helped the Wolves push across four more runs for a 9-5 lead.

Jackson retired the side in order in the seventh to secure the victory.

Hensley finished 2-for-3 with two runs scored and a sacrifice bunt. Senior Janie Goldin went 2-for-3 with an RBI, two runs scored and four stolen bases.

Sawyer was 1-for-3 with two RBIs and a run scored, while sophomore Mackenzie Fritsch added a hit, an RBI and a run scored.