LAGRANGE – LaGrange hung tough for awhile, but it was a strong Chapel Hill team pulling away for a 9-1 victory on Thursday in a Region 5-AAAA softball showdown.

The game was tied 1-1 through two innings, and Chapel Hill was clinging to a 3-1 lead when it pushed five runs across in the fifth inning to take control.

Chapel Hill, which won a state championship last season and is in the midst of another big year, added a single run in the sixth inning to cap the scoring.

LaGrange managed three hits against Chapel Hill pitcher Ashley Morgan.

Destiny Fitzpatrick had two hits for LaGrange including a double and she scored her team’s only run, and Te’a Winston also had a hit.

After Chapel Hill took the lead with a run in the top of the first inning, LaGrange answered with a run in the bottom of the second.

Fitzpatrick led off with a double, and she scored when Shaq Sutton reached on an error.

Sutton, representing the go-ahead run, made it to second base, but she was stranded.

In the fourth inning, Fitzpatrick had a one-out single, and she made it as far as third base before the inning ended on a groundout.

Hannah Karcher pitched all six innings for LaGrange.

LaGrange will be at home on Saturday for a region doubleheader against Cartersville, with the first game set to begin at 11 a.m.

In other softball on Thursday, Callaway dropped a Region 5-AA road game to Heard County.

It was a two-run game in the fifth inning, but Heard County ended up claiming an 8-0 victory.

Oeisha Jenkins started for Callaway and pitched four innings, and Skylar Rice threw the fifth and sixth innings.

Kelly Carlisle and Lydia Bartlett each had two hits for Callaway, and Acia Stephens and Makayla Davis had one hit apiece.

Callaway will continue its region schedule with a home game against Temple on Tuesday.

In private-school softball on Thursday, it was LaGrange Academy dropping a 7-0 home game to Heritage.

Reach Kevin Eckleberry at (706) 884-7311 or on Twitter @lagrangesports