It was with different sticks on a different playing field, but one more time, perhaps one of the last times in their senior years, Kendell Combs and Kelsey Smither teamed up for a Lakeland sporting victory Friday evening.

With two runs in the sixth and a run off back-to-back hits by Combs and Smither starting the bottom of the seventh, Lakeland beat visiting King’s Fork 5-4, earning a split for the softball season in the city rivalry.

Combs and Smither, or more usually, Smither to Combs, was the combination in virtually every Lakeland field hockey match for the last four seasons.

On the softball diamond Friday, Combs led off the home half of the seventh with a drive to deep centerfield for a triple. Smither followed with a sinking liner into left scoring Combs with the winning run.

The quick rally in the last half-inning finished a Lady Cavalier comeback from trailing most of the game after the Lady Bulldogs put three runs up in the second inning.

After Lakeland scored once with its first at-bats, Kristin Moore and Niki Cuevas reached base, with a single and a walk respectively, starting KF’s second.

Lakeland, with Vici Treat doing the pitching, got outs via a pop-up and a bunt, putting runners on second and third.

KF pitcher Brittany Raynor singled into right field, scoring both runners. Raynor moved to second on the throw to the plate and to third on a wild pitch. Ashley Roten singled, outrunning a grounder to short, to bring in Raynor for a 3-1 KF lead.

The Lady Cavaliers (5-8, 4-7) got a run back in the fourth. The Lady Bulldogs (8-5, 7-5) made it 4-2 with a run in the fifth.

Vici Treat had to work hard throughout her complete game. The Lady Cavaliers didn’t record a three-up, three-down KF inning after the first inning. The Lady Bulldogs left nine runners on base.

Vici’s sister and catcher Valerie led off the Lady Cav fourth with a triple and scored. She started the tying rally in the sixth with a single.

Mary Ellis reached with a bunt and KF error. Jackelyn Wood bunted the runners to second and third.

Ginny Griffin drove in one run with a bloop that landed just fair down the rightfield line.

Jenn Asbell dropped down Lakeland’s third bunt of the inning and Ellis made it to the plate as the Lady Bulldogs were late making the play at first and late going back to the plate trying to get Ellis.

Valerie Treat and Ellis both went 2-for-3 and leadoff hitter Crystal Treat was 2-for-4 with a run. Wood made successful sacrifices all three times at the plate.

For the Lady Bulldogs, Cuevas and Raynor both went 3-for-3 at the plate, each with three singles and one run.

King’s Fork is still in the race for a Southeastern District Tournament spot but back-to-back losses this week, with a 10-inning loss to Deep Creek earlier this week, means the Lady Bulldogs have little cushion left for their last six games. KF goes to Grassfield Tuesday.

The Lady Cavaliers travel to Western Branch on Tuesday looking for a season sweep against the Lady Bruins.