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WELLSTON, Ohio — So close, and yet so far.

The Meigs softball team kept things interesting for four innings, but host Wellston mustered a run in the fifth that ultimately made the difference during a narrow 3-2 victory Thursday in a Tri-Valley Conference Ohio Division matchup in Jackson County.

The Lady Marauders (6-6, 1-3 TVC Ohio) put up a good fight against the league-leading Lady Rockets (11-1, 4-0) on their home turf, as the guests outhit WHS by a 9-5 margin in the setback. Meigs also committed two of the three errors in the contest, and one of those miscues led to an early Wellston score.

Scoreless after an inning and a half of play, the hosts struck first blood in the bottom of the second. Brittni Hall led the inning off with a double, and Bri Shepherd came in as a courtesy runner.

Sydney Compston was hit by a pitch, then Shepherd and Compston both moved up a base with a steal, and an errant throw allowed Shepherd to score for a 1-0 Wellston lead. Megan Daily singled to plate Compston for a 2-0 edge through two complete.

The score remained that way until the fifth, when the Lady Marauders made their big rally charge of the night. Lisa Marie Wise led the inning off with a double, then Alyssa Cremeans came in as a courtesy runner for Wise. Suzy Cox followed with an infield hit, giving MHS runners on the corners with nobody out.

Destiny Mullen singled home Cremeans for a 2-1 deficit, then Tess Phelps drove in Cox with a single that knotted the game at 2-all through four and a half frames.

Wellston, however, picked up its eventual game-winning run later in that inning. Carissa Darnell led the frame off with a single and later scored on a groundout by Chelsea McManaway, giving the hosts a 3-2 edge. The Lady Marauders produced three hits and four baserunners over the next two innings, but they couldn’t get the tying run back to the plate.

Wise was the losing pitcher of record, allowing three earned runs, five hits and one walk over six frames while striking out 10. Hall was the winning pitcher after surrendering two earned runs, eight hits and two walks over seven innings while fanning nine.

Mullen, Phelps and Wise had two hits apiece for MHS, followed by Cox, Harley Fox and Kim Casci with one safety each. Phelps and Mullen both drove in an RBI, while Cox and Wise scored a run apiece. Hall, Darnell, Daily, Ashleigh Mullins and Shanea Long each had a hit for the victors.