HENDERSONVILLE, Tenn. – Some days, when you’re not necessarily at your best, you take what’s given to you.

That’s what the Yakima Diamond Cats did Thursday morning en route to a 4-1 victory against the KC Bombers of Kansas City, Mo., in the USSSA Southeast Nationals.

With the victory, Yakima earned itself at least two more games. The two-time defending Washington state champions will meet the Quad City Hitmen of Illinois in a winner’s bracket semifinal at 10:10 a.m.

The Hitmen, which finished fourth in Pool A upset the Nebraska Venom, which won Pool B.

A victory against Quad City would send the Diamond Cats into Saturday morning’s winner’s bracket final, while a loss would send them into a loser-out contest also set for Saturday.

Yakima starting pitcher Brooklynn Root pitched out of jams in the first two innings, before a 1-2-3 third. Trailing 4-1, the Bombers loaded the bases with no outs, before Root, an East Valley junior, recorded a strikeout.

West Valley graduate and CBBN MVP Ainsley Johnson, who tossed a no-hitter Wednesday, relieved Root, and retired all five batters she faced, the final four by strikeout.

“Brooklynn battled big time for us today,” Diamond Cats coach Casey Johnson said. “Didn’t have her best stuff, but gutted it out and gave us a chance to stay in the game and finally capitalize on some KC mistakes. She was huge for us today.”

All of Yakima’s runs were unearned.

The Diamond Cats scored a run in the first inning on an error, and two more on another KC miscue in the third.

Madi Statler’s single in the third also pushed across a run.

Kodie Rasmussen had two hits and a run, Root singled and scored a run, Calleigh Sinnes and Johnson also had hits, and Leila Cook had a hit for Yakima (17-6).