The DCHS Tigerettes softball team clinched the district championship with a win over Macon County last Wednesday.
As reported last week, the squad took York Institute down 10-0 in the first round of the District 8AA softball tournament at Upperman High on May 1. The ladies then kept the fires burning in a close shave with Cannon County on May 4.
The Lionettes fell to DeKalb in an eight-inning, 3-2 game in the second round of the tourney.
The Tigerettes opened with a run in the first inning of play, and the game remained scoreless until Cannon put one across in the fifth to tie the score. Both teams managed a run in the seventh, leaving the score at 2-2 going into the final inning. DeKalb squeezed another run out in the top of the eighth to go ahead, and the effort went unmatched by the Lionettes, who were sat down without scoring.
DCHS put in nine hits and committed one error for the win, while Cannon’s seven hits and three errors sent them to the loser’s bracket. Pitcher Kayley Caplinger recorded the win with eight strikeouts.
Tyra Graham, Loren Cripps, Dani Meadows, Kayley Caplinger, Myranda Bailiff, Lexi Bates, Dani Meadows and Katie Hall hit a single each for the Tigerettes. Tyra Graham blasted a triple for DeKalb.
In the third round of the tournament, on May 5, DCHS faced Macon County, and again slipped by with a 3-2 win.
The Tigerettes put one run across in the second inning, and backed it up with two runs in the fourth, while Macon finally scored two in a fifth inning rally, coming up short of the win. DeKalb took the game with six hits, committing four errors. Macon failed with five hits and three errors.
Winning pitcher Kayley Caplinger put six strikeouts on the books, Tyra Graham swatted two singles, and Allison Maynard Kayley and Caplinger each singled as well. Tyra Graham and Loren Cripps contributed a double each to the Tigerette effort.
Macon County fought their way out of the loser’s bracket, however, and DeKalb found themselves competing against them again for the District 8AA championship crown on May 6.
The Tigerettes showed no mercy in the second match, belting five runs across in a second-inning burst of hits, then following up with a run in the third, one in the fifth, and two in the sixth. Macon was held to a goose egg until they managed to score twice in the top of the seventh.
DCHS put in 10 hits and committed three errors for the winning effort, while Macon managed only four hits, with three errors. Kayley Caplinger got the win on the mound, with five strikeouts in the game.
Allison Maynard and Katie Hall put two singles each toward the win, while Tyra Graham, Loren Cripps, Dani Meadows, Myranda Bailiff, Hannah Walker and Lexi Bates all singled as well.
Players selected for the All-District 8-AA Regular Season and All-District Tournament were announced following the championship game, with many Tigerettes receiving awards. Dani Meadows was named the co-district Most Valuable Player, along with Paige Clark of Macon County.
Meadows was also honored as the Defensive MVP for the season, and Kayley Caplinger was named Pitcher of the Year for the district. Kayley Caplinger and Katie Hall were chosen for the First Team All-District, while Tyra Graham and Loren Cripps were named to the Second Team-All District.
Tyra Graham was named Most Valuable Player of the Tournament, and Graham was named to the All-District Tournament Team along with Kayley Caplinger, Dani Meadows, and Allison Maynard.
Meanwhile, former Tigerette Cynthia Woodward was one of four people inducted into the District 8-AA Softball Hall of Fame.
