ELIZABETHTON -- Elizabethton scored a pair of unearned runs in the fourth inning, and that would prove to be enough to lift the Cyclones to a 3-1 victory over South Greene in the finals of the loser's bracket of the District 1-AA softball tournament here Wednesday.

The win moves the Cyclones into today's championship round against Unicoi County, while the season came to a close for South Greene. Both Unicoi and Elizabethton will advance to next week's regional playoffs.

After the game, South Greene Coach Terry Hoese told his team it was his final game as softball coach of the Lady Rebels.

"I can't give the program the time it deserves," said Hoese, who also serves as boys' basketball coach and athletic director at South Greene. "You step right out of basketball into softball, and there's just no time. I've been doing it for eight years, so it's hard to step away, but I think it's the right thing to do."

The Rebels tried hard to extend the season, and they had their chances Wednesday against Elizabethton starter Taylor Bellesa and reliever Kady Robinson. But the two runs Elizabethton scored in the fourth proved to be all the cushion the excellent pitchers would need.

"We just made a couple of mistakes and in softball that's all it takes to get you beat," Hoese said. "But the girls played hard and they did the best they could, so that's all you ask."

The Cyclones got nine hits off Reb pitcher Brooke Kinser, but she was again able to work out of some jams and got some help from her defense.

The Rebs' first base runner did not come until the third when Courtney Laney lined a two-out base hit to left. Then in the fourth, Anna Malone, whose home run the night before had eliminated county rival Chuckey-Doak, ripped a one-out double down the left field line. She moved up to third on an infield groundout but was left stranded there.

The Cyclones got their runs in the bottom of the fourth when Jasmine Treadway singled to left. Brittany Eggers bounced a ball to the infield, but the throw to try to get the force at second went into the outfield, and Treadway came around to score. Eggers later scored on a base hit up the middle by Kristen Powell.

South Greene threatened again in the fifth. Chelsea Renner led it off with a single and with one out. Brooke Kinser hit a towering fly ball to right that fell just short of the fence for a double, putting runners at second and third.

But Robinson, who came on to pitch in relief of Bellesa, was able to register a strikeout and an infield popup to get out of the jam.

Elizabethton got a solo run in the fifth to make it 3-0. Kyla Jones and Summer Smith reached on hits, then Bellesa beat out a bunt to load the sacks with nobody out. Leah Henson drove in a run with a force out at third, but Kinser and the Rebs were able to escape any additional damage.

South Greene didn't go down without a last-gasp effort. In the top of the seventh, Brooke Kinser reached on an error and Laney followed with a double to left, placing runners on second and third with one out. Brittany Kinser's fly ball to right was good for an RBI, but the third out was logged without any more scoring.

Powell had three hits and Smith two hits for the Cyclones. Laney had two hits for the Rebs.