The DeKalb County High School Tigerettes softball team began post-season play last week, hosting the first game of the TSSAA 7AAA District Tournament against Stone Memorial before traveling to White County to face their old nemesis, the Macon County Lady Tigers.

The first game of the district tournament had been scheduled for Saturday, May 7, but rainy weather caused the game to be postponed to the following Monday. The third ranked Tigerettes would play Stone Memorial during a rare day game, then travel to White County later that evening.

In the game with the Lady Panthers, the Tigerettes would get on the board in the first inning and never look back. Aniston Farler would have a huge game, driving in four runs on a triple in the fourth, a double in the fifth, and a single in the sixth.

After keeping Stone Memorial to a three and out at the start of the game, Jacey Hatfield tripled on a line drive to right field. Emma Martin would step up next and ground out to the pitcher, but send Hatfield home.

The action wouldn’t pick back up until the bottom of the fourth when Morgan Walker singled on a line drive to first base. Farler would step up next, hitting a triple on a line drive to center, sending Walker home. Bri Murphy then sacrificed on a fly to center as Farler came home. The Lady Panthers would get off the field, but DeKalb was up, 3-0.

With Kora Kilgore in the circle, once again the Lady Panthers were held to a three and out. As the Tigerettes stepped to the plate, they would add some more distance on the scoreboard.

Emma Martin doubled on a line drive to center, and later Walker would get an easy trip to first with a walk. It was Farler’s turn again, and this time she would double on a line drive to left, as Martin and Walker touched home plate. Murphy was up again, and this time she would double on a line drive to center as Farler scored. Murphy would advance to third on the throw.

Madison Martin stepped to the plate and would single on a grounder to left, sending Chloe Lawson, running for Murphy, across the plate. The Tigerettes held a commanding 7-0 lead.

The Lady Panthers would avoid the shutout at the top of the sixth, scoring one run, but the Tigerettes would seal the game shut as they came to bat. Emma Martin, Bryna Pelham, and Walker would each get a walk before Farler stepped up again. Farler would then single on a fly to left as Martin came home. Kilgore was next and would hit a double on a line drive to center, sending Pelham and Walker home.

Madison Martin would drive the final nail, hitting a double on a hard grounder to left, allowing Farler to touch home plate. DeKalb claimed the 11-1 victory.

Murphy claimed the win from the circle, surrendering zero runs and one hit, over four innings, striking out two and walking none. Kilgore threw two innings, claiming the last six outs to earn the save.

Later that evening, the Tigerettes traveled to Sparta where they would take on a team that had given them trouble all year. The second ranked Macon County Lady Tigers had faced DeKalb twice before in the season, each resulting in narrow low-scoring battles with the Tigerettes coming away with thin late-game losses. This game would be no different.

The scoreboard would remain blank until the bottom of the third inning, when, with one on base, a double drove a run home.

Their lead wouldn’t last long, with the Tigerettes’ bats coming to life at the top of the fourth. After Morgan Walker lined out to center, Bryna Pelham hit a double on a line drive to left. Bri Murphy was next and hit a double of her own, on a line drive to center, sending Pelham home.

Not to be out done, Madison Martin stepped to the plate and hit a double on a line drive to left, sending Murphy home. Martin would take third on the throw. The Lady Tigers would get off the field, but the Tigerettes had taken a 2-1 lead.

Macon would be held off the board at the bottom of the fourth, but DeKalb would not be able to add to their total as they batted at the top of the fifth.

It would fall apart for DeKalb at the bottom of the fifth. With bases loaded, a double on a line drive to center fielder Morgan Walker resulted in two runs coming in, then another run scored on a passed ball. Macon had taken a 4-2 lead.

And that’s where the score would stay. The game would go to the top of the seventh, but the Tigerettes would not be able to get rolling.

Kilgore took the loss for DeKalb, going six innings with eight hits and four runs, striking out seven.

With the tournament in double elimination, the girls were back in Sparta on Tuesday, May 10, this time taking on Livingston Academy in the loser’s bracket. The Tigerettes would seal this game with a shutout, scoring two runs in the first inning, another two in the second, and four in the sixth.

The Lady Wildcats would go three and out to start the game, then DeKalb would start racking in the runs. With two outs on the board, Bryna Pelham singled on a line drive to left, followed by a triple line drive to right by Morgan Walker. Aniston Farler would step up next, and single on a fly to center, sending Walker home.

In the second inning, Gracie Randolph singled on a grounder to second, then Raylie Cowan singled on a grounder to short. Jacey Hatfield would load the bases with a single to short, then Emma Martin singled on a line drive to center, sending Randolph home. Pelham was up again, and this time singled on a grounder to short, allowing Cowan to touch the plate. The Tigerettes were up, 4-0.

DeKalb would seal up the game late in the sixth. With two outs, Walker and Farler would each walk. Bri Murphy stepped up to the plate and hit a single on a line drive to right as Walker scored. Madison Martin would then get a walk, followed by a walk by Randolph, sending Farler home. Cowan was next and hit a double on a line drive to left, sending Chloe Lawson, running for Murphy, and Martin across the plate.

Livingston would have one more at bat, but Bri Murphy would earn the victory and the shutout. Murphy went seven innings, with no runs and three hits, striking out 10, and walking one.

The following day, DeKalb was back on the field, this time facing their old foe, Upperman. The Lady Bees had fallen to White County in their second game, then moved past Stone Memorial in the loser’s bracket. This pitted the Lady Bees against the Tigerettes, while White County had taken on and defeated Macon the previous night.

The Tigerettes would get on the board first in the bottom of the second inning, after Farler singled on a grounder to short. Next Murphy would get a walk, then Madison Martin bunted out to the catcher. Randolph would step up next and single on a line drive to center as Farler came home. A double play off of a Cowan hit to third would end the inning, but DeKalb was on the board, 1-0.

The Lady Bees would tie the game with a run at the top of the fourth, then take a one-point lead at the top of the fifth on a line drive to right field. Unfortunately, that is where the score would stay. The game would go into the seventh inning, and remain a battle, but Upperman would claim the 2-1 win, ending the Tigerettes’ post season.

Murphy took the loss, going five and a third innings, with five hits and two runs, striking out one and walking one.

Upperman would go on to face White County the following evening in the Championship game, but would fall to the Lady Warriors 0-4.

Later, eight DCHS Tigerette players earned All-District Softball honors for the 2022 season. Morgan Walker, Bryna Pelham, Emma Martin, Jacey Hatfield, and Aniston Farler were named to the All-District team from DeKalb, while Hatfield was also named Defensive Player of the Year.

Kora Kilgore and Raylie Cowan were named to the All-Freshman Team, while Bri Murphy was selected to the All-District Tournament Team.

The Tigerettes finished the year at 19-12 overall and 8-4 in district play.