The DeKalb County Tigerettes battled their way to the top spot of the District 8AA Softball Tournament in Baxter last week with a win over the Smith County Owlettes and the Upperman Lady Bees. But their celebration was short-lived after the Lady Bees fought their way back through a two-game championship match-up. 
On Tuesday, May 7, the Tigerettes defeated the Owlettes 5-4 in a game that came down to the seventh inning.  Both teams remained scoreless for the first three innings, but DeKalb soon took the lead with two runs in the top of the fourth.  The Tigerettes scored  two more runs in the fifth, with Smith County getting on the board with one. 
The Owlettes made things interesting in the bottom of the sixth inning, scoring three runs and tying the ballgame, but DeKalb came back with one run in the top of the seventh and was able to hold on for the win. 
The Tigerettes scored five runs on eight hits and four errors, while the Owlettes scored four runs on six hits and one error.  Lauren Colwell pitched six innings for DeKalb with two strikeouts.  Shauna Taylor entered the game in the seventh inning, striking out one. 
Colwell, Danielle Tyson, Annieka Norton, Dani Meadows, and Taylor Monette each had a single during the game, while Chelsey Brannon took two singles, and Abbey Caldwell had a double. 
The win over Smith County moved the Tigerettes up in tournament play and set them against the regular season champs, Upperman, the following day.  In that game the Tigerettes would dominate their opponent with a 9-1 victory which put them in first place in the tournament. 
Gray skies made way for sunshine, making for a perfect day for a ballgame.  The Tigerettes fans were also out in force, cheering on their team by stomping their feet in the stands, shaking homemade rattles, and with thunderous applause. 
The Tigerettes started things off with a bang, scoring four runs in the top of the first inning. Runs would become scarce through the next four innings with the next run, made by DeKalb, coming in the sixth.  The Lady Bees would match that run as they came up to bat, but DeKalb would seal the game, scoring four more runs in the top of the seventh. 
Tigerettes’ pitcher Danielle Tyson gave up one run on six hits through all seven innings, striking out two. DeKalb’s bats were hot with Colwell, Tyra Graham, and Loren Cripps taking two singles during the game, while Tyson recorded four singles, Brannon a single and a triple, and Monette took two doubles and a single. 
The win locked the Tigerettes in top spot for the tournament championship game to be played the following evening.  In that Thursday evening game, DeKalb had two chances to win the championship, win the first game and win the tournament, or play and win a second game for a tournament victory. 
In the first game the Tigerettes struck early, scoring two runs in the bottom of the first inning, but the Lady Bees would not make things easy, taking three runs in the third.  DeKalb would match the score in the third inning, scoring one run and tying the game 3-3.  The stalemate would not be broken until the seventh inning when Upperman put in four runners and sealing the win against the Tigerettes 7-3.
DeKalb scored three runs on eight hits and one error, while Upperman scored seven runs on 12 hits and three errors.  Brannon, Caldwell, and Cripps each recorded a single in the game, while Tyson took two singles, Monette a double, and Meadows a single and a double. 
With the loss, the Tigerettes faced another game against Upperman, which was played immediately after to decide the championship.  As daylight fell to darkness, the lights came on the field and local fans cheered on their Tigerettes into the night, in a game where runs proved elusive. 
Defense was strong on both sides as the championship game remained scoreless through five innings.  It was the bottom of the sixth inning where the Upperman Lady Bees scored two runs, runs that DeKalb could not match in the top of the seventh.  The 2-0 victory not only sealed the tournament win for Upperman, but also meant they would host Sequatchie County in the first round of regional tournament play, while DeKalb would have to travel to Bledsoe County for their first game. 
During the game DeKalb had zero runs on 10 hits and two errors, while Upperman took two runs on five hits and zero errors. Tyson and Caldwell recorded two singles during play, while Norton had four singles, Meadows one single, and Brannon a double.
On Monday Tigerettes traveled to Pikeville where they lost in the first round of the regional tournament to Bledsoe County  3-1.  The loss ended the Tigerettes 2013 season. 
DeKalb scored their one and only run in the third inning, with Bledsoe scoring one run in the first inning, one in the fifth, and another in the sixth. The Tigerettes scored one run on seven hits with one error. Bledsoe County scored three runs on four hits and no errors..
Tigerettes’ pitcher Danielle Tyson struck out two during the game.  Tyson and Brannon each recorded two singles , while Monette, Graham, and Colwell each took a single.
The DeKalb County Tigerettes softball team ended their season with a record of 23-14.