The DeKalb County High School Tigerettes softball team managed to get into District Tournament action last week, and come away victorious as District Champions. District games had been delayed all week due to severe weather in the area, but got underway last Thursday. The Tigerettes made quick work of Stone Memorial in the first round, then went on the defeat their season nemesis Upperman in the final two games.

On Thursday, May 9, the Tigerettes were in Baxter where they took on the Lady Panthers in the first district tourney game. DeKalb would go up big in the second inning, and go on to dominate the game.

Action wouldn’t get going until the bottom of the second when Kora Kilgore singled on a fly to second. She would take second as Bri Murphy bunted out to the pitcher, then Elaina Turner got a walk. Raylie Cowan would single on a line drive to left, loading the bases.

Kilgore got caught trying to steal her way home as Hannah Brown was up to bat, then Brown hit a line drive and reached on an error by the pitcher as Cowan and Turner came home. Rylee Wilbur would then single on a line drive to center, followed by Zayleigh Bain reaching on a grounder and an error at second. Brown would score.

Bryna Pelham was up next and singled on a line drive to second, sending Bain and Wilbur across the plate. Gracie Randolph would then single on a fly to right as Pelham took second. Kilgore was back at the plate and singled on a line drive to left as Pelham scored. Stone would get off the field, but DeKalb was up 6-0.

The Lady Panthers would manage to score one run at the top of the third, but that would be the lone point they would see. After Turner took a base with an HBP, Cowan doubled on a line drive to center, followed by a single line drive to center by Brown as Turner scored. Cowan would get caught at home plate, but Wilbur would then double on a fly to right. Bain singled on a grounder to right, sending Wilbur and Brown home, and just like that the Tigerettes were up 9-1.

A series of walks would see Wilbur score at the bottom of the fourth, then a single grounder to left resulted in an RBI for Pelham as Cowan scored.

The game would go to the top of the fifth, but Kilgore would make quick work of them from the circle. The Tigerettes claimed the 11-1 victory.

Kilgore came away with 10 strikeouts, allowing three hits and one run while walking five.

The following day, the Tigerettes were back in action, this time facing off against the one team that had given them trouble all season. DeKalb had faced Upperman twice in the regular season, falling in both games, one by one point, and the other by two. DeKalb would have to get that monkey off its back to win the title.

While past games had been low-scoring battles, the Tigerettes opened up on the Lady Bees and dominated. At the top of the first, with Wilbur and Pelham on base, Randolph grounded into fielder’s choice at second, sending Wilbur across home. Kilgore was up next, and homered on a line drive to left, sending Pelham and Lillie Young, running for Randolph, home. DeKalb was up 4-0.

The Tigerettes would add to the tally in the second, after Pelham hit a triple line drive to right, sending Bain home.

DeKalb wasn’t finished. At the top of the third, after singles by Murphy, Turner, and Cowan, Brown doubled on a grounder to left sending Turner and Murphy home. Wilbur would then single on a bunt as Young, running for Cowan, scored. The Tigerettes held an 8-0 lead.

Kilgore singled to start the fourth, followed by a base hit by Murphy. Turner would then ground to fielder’s choice at second, catching Murphy, but Chaylea Lunsford, running for Kilgore, would come home. It was 9-0.

The Tigerettes topped off the shutout at the top of the fifth with a single by Bain, then Bain would steal her way around the diamond all the way home as Pelham was at bat. Later Turner singled on a grounder to center, sending Pelham home. Upperman would get off the field, but DeKalb held a 12-0 lead.

The Lady Bees had one last at bat to avoid the shutout, but Kilgore in the circle was too much for them. They would go three up, three down for the 12-0 Tigerette victory.

Murphy started the game in the circle, allowing two hits and zero runs over one inning, striking out none and walking two. Kilgore earned the win, giving up one hit and zero runs over four innings, striking out five and walking three.

The tournament would come down to a rematch of the Tigerettes and Lady Bees on Saturday, and once again DeKalb would dominate. DeKalb would get on the board first, scoring three runs at the top of the second. Brown had a two-run double line drive to center, followed by a one-run double line drive to center by Wilbur. DeKalb was up 3-0.

Action wouldn’t get going again until the bottom of the third, when Upperman managed to finally put runs on the board. They cut the Tigerette lead, 3-2.

The Tigerettes would bounce right back at the top of the fourth, with more hot bats. Wilbur doubled on a line drive to left, then Bain singled on a bunt to the pitcher. Pelham was next and singled on a line drive to center as Bain touched the plate, followed by Randolph with a single line drive to right. Kilgore hit a ground ball and reached on an error at first as Pelham came home, then Murphy singled on a grounder to left as Lillie Young, running for Randolph, and Tatum Young, running for Kilgore, each came home. DeKalb held an 8-2 lead.

DeKalb iced the cake at the top of the sixth with four more runs. After a Kilgore single, Murphy doubled on a grounder to left, sending Tatum Young, running for Kilgore, across the plate. Turner singled on a grounder to center, as Murphy scored, then Cowan doubled on a line drive to center, sending Turner home. Brown was back at the plate and singled on a grounder to third, as Cowan scored.

Upperman would get off the field, and have one last at bat, but it was too much for the Lady Bees. The Tigerettes hung on for the 12-2 win and the District Division I title.

Kilgore earned the win surrendering two hits and two runs over six innings, striking out nine and walking four.

Tigerette Pitcher Kilore was named the District Tournament MVP while fellow Tigerettes Elaina Turner, Rylee Wilbur, and Bri Murphy were also named to the All-Tournament Team.

For the regular season, Kora Kilgore was Pitcher of the Year. Bryna Pelham took Defensive MVP honors and Rylee Wilbur was awarded as Freshman of the Year.

Members of the Regular Season All Freshman Team were Brooklyn Fuson and Hannah Brown while Gracie Randolph, Bri Murphy, Raylie Cowan, and Zayleigh Bain made the All-District Team-Regular Season.

The Tigerettes now move on the Region play as they host the Marshall County Tigerettes.