LAUREL COUNTY, Ky. — If the South Laurel Lady Cardinals seemed a little distracted Friday night, they had a very good reason.

“Just before the game our assistant coach, Tracy Hacker, suffered what looked like a stroke,” South coach James Burns said. “Our minds weren’t on the game.”

Against a team like No. 5 Scott County, your mind has to be totally focused. In the battle of Lady Cardinals, this one went to Scott County, 6-3.

“They are a solid team,” Burns said. “We make a play here or there, this could be a one run or tied game.”

South Laurel (17-12) also committed four errors, something the Lady Cardinals had gotten away from in the past few games.

“We made a few bungles and if we don’t make them, we’re in the game,” Burns said.

For three innings, South Laurel struggled to get to pitcher Marlee Tevis, who was perfect through those innings. While she was keeping South Laurel runners off base, her team scored its first run in the top of the second.

Katie Stamper led the inning off with a single against Hagan Burns. She advanced all the way to third with two outs when Elaina Johnson hit a grounder to Casie Finley at second. Finley took her eye off the ball for a split second, and that was enough to allow Johnson to reach first and Stamper to score.

Scott County (26-6-1) made it 2-0 in the fourth when Tiffany Wickline doubled and scored on a single by Stamper.

South Laurel finally got to Tevis in the bottom of the fourth, scoring twice to tie the game 2-2.

With one out, Destinee Fisher beat out an infield single to deep short. Amber Hyde followed with a walk, then Hagan Burns reached on an error at short to load the bases for Chelsea Wemes, who singled to left to score Fisher, but Hyde was thrown out at third.

Megan Smith followed with a single to again load the bases, and Destiny Salva, running for Burns, scored on a passed ball.

Just when South Laurel looked to have momentum, Scott County snatched it right back with a three run fifth to take a 5-2 lead. Scott County added another run in the sixth to make it 6-2. That run was unearned when Johnson led the inning off with a fly ball to right that Laura Williams dropped. Abby Lowry came in as a courtesy runner and scored on a passed ball.

South had two runners on in the bottom of the inning but failed to push either across when Michaela Abney showed great range at second to take away a hit from Smith.

Scott County loaded the bases with no outs in the top of the seventh but Burns was able to work her way out of the inning unscathed.

South got its final run in the bottom of the seventh when a Fisher single drove in Bailey Miller to make the final 6-3.

“We hit their pitcher,” Burns said. “We competed. That’s all you can ask for.”

The Lady Cards are scheduled to host Rockcastle County tonight and travel to Somerset Tuesday.