The Union County softball team defeated Rockmart 9-1 on Thursday in Blairsville to advance to the quarterfinals of the Class AA state playoffs for the second consecutive year.

Angie Hughes earned the win from the circle, throwing a complete game for Union County (28-2-1).

“She pitched really well,” Union County coach Jessica Stewart said of Hughes.

The Lady Panthers were the champions of Region 8-AA, finished the regular season ranked No. 2 in Class AA and earned a No. 1 seed in the state tournament. Rockmart was the No. 3 seed from Region 7-AA.

With the scored tied at 1 going into the bottom of the fifth, Union County’s Kaitlyn Seabolt and Kristin Hamby hit back-to-back home runs as part of a three-run Lady Panthers’ rally.

With the score still 4-1 in the bottom of the next inning, Callie Dyer stepped to the plate with the bases loaded and broke the game open with a grand slam.

Union County will face an opponent yet to be determined on Oct. 28 at the South Commons Softball Complex in Columbus.