The DeKalb County High School Tigerettes softball team was back in action last week, playing a district game against White County early in the week, then traveling to Chattanooga to participate in the Hixson Wildcat Classic. The team dominated most of the week.

On Tuesday, March 21, the Tigerettes were on their home field where they hosted the visiting White County Warriorettes. DeKalb pitcher Kora Kilgore stood tough in the circle during the game, throwing a shutout against the border rival.

The Warriorettes went three and out to start the game, then Tigerette Morgan Walker led off the batting order for DeKalb. She would get a walk, followed by an easy trip to first by Emma Martin, and another walk of Bryna Pelham to load the bases. Gracie Randolph would then hit a fielder’s choice to short stop, catching Martin at third, but not before Walker crossed home plate. At the end of one, DeKalb was on the board, 1-0.

Kora Kilgore would make quick work of the next three White County batters, but after Aniston Farler singled on a line drive to left, she would be left standing at third at the end of two.

The action would not pick back up until the bottom of the fifth when the Tigerettes’ bats came to life. Raylie Cowan would single on a grounder to left, then Zayleigh Bain, courtesy running for Cowan, took second as Madison Martin grounded out to second. Walker again stepped up to the plate and was intentionally walked.

Emma Martin then grounded to fielder’s choice to short, which caught Bain advancing to third. With two outs on the board, and runners at first and second, Pelham stepped up to the plate. She would single on a line drive to right as Walker came home and Martin took third. Randolph was up next and singled on a grounder to second as Martin scored and Pelham took second. Then, Aly Griffith singled on a line drive to center, sending Pelham across home, and Randolph to second. Aniston Farler would fly out to center, but DeKalb was up, 4-0.

DeKalb would ice the cake in the sixth inning, after lead batter Kilgore got a walk to first. Chloe Lawson would courtesy run for Kilgore, as Cowan was back at the plate. She would hit a double line drive to left, as Lawson took third.

Madison Martin would be up next and reach on a pop fly and an error by second as Lawson scored, and Bain, running for Cowan, took third. By the end of the inning, the Tigerettes had padded their lead, 5-0.

White County had one last chance at bat. They would manage to put two runners on base, but they would be left standing. The Tigerettes claimed the 5-0 shutout.

Kilgore went seven innings, allowing three hits and zero runs, striking out four and walking one.

On Friday, March 24, the Tigerettes traveled to Chattanooga to participate in the Hixson Wildcat Classic. The team would dominate through most of the weekend.

In their first game, the Tigerettes beat the Whitwell Lady Tigers, 7-3, scoring three runs in the third inning and four runs in the fourth, including a three-run homer by Morgan Walker. Whitwell managed to get on the board with one run at the top of the fourth, and two more at the top of the fifth.

Walker and Madison Martin each had two hits to lead the Tigerettes, while Bri Murphy claimed the victory from the circle, going five innings, allowing five hits and three runs, while striking out two. 

That same day, the Tigerettes faced off with the Alcoa Tornadoes. It would be another shutout for Kora Kilgore from the circle.

DeKalb would get on the board first at the top of the second after Cowan singled on a line drive to right. Lawson would courtesy run, and steal second as Griffith was up to bat. Griffith would ground out to first, but Lawson would score on an error by third. The Tigerettes were up, 1-0.

The Tigerettes would add one more to the board at the top of the third. Elaina Turner singled on a grounder to center, then would take second as Madison Martin sacrificed to first. Turner would later get caught trying to steal third.

Walker would then single on a grounder to right, followed by a single by Emma Martin on a ground ball to center. Pelham would then single on a grounder to second as Walker crossed the plate. As it would turn out, that would be the last points of the game. DeKalb took the 2-0 win.

Kilgore allowed three hits and zero runs over five innings, striking out four and walking one.

The following day, the Tigerettes were back on the diamond, this time facing the Rhea County Eagles. It would be a low-scoring game with DeKalb squeaking by.

The Tigerettes would get on the board first, striking at the bottom of the first. Bain singled on a grounder to second, followed by a single ground ball to center by Pelham. Bri Murphy then stepped to the plate, hitting a double on a line drive to left, sending both Bain and Pelham home. DeKalb was up 2-0.

DeKalb padded their lead at the bottom of the second, after Turner doubled on a line drive to center. Emma Martin was up next and singled on a ground ball to center, sending Turner home. By the end of the inning, the Tigerettes were up, 3-0.

Rhea County would finally get on the board, scoring a run at the top of the third, then another at the top of the fourth. The game would come down to the top of the fifth, where Kilgore would send the last out down swinging. DeKalb held on for the 4-3 victory.

Murphy got the win for DeKalb, going four innings, allowing two runs on six hits, striking out one and walking one. Kilgore finished the game recording the last three outs.

Later that day, the Tigerettes faced off with the host team, the Hixson Wildcats. In this game Bri Murphy would come away with a no hitter, going six innings, striking out three and walking zero.

Action would begin until the top of the second, when Griffith singled on a line drive to left. Farler would then hit a single on a fly to center and take second on the throw as Griffith took third. Madison Martin would then single on a grounder to third, and Griffith would score on the throw, as Farler took third and Martin second. Farler would then score on a throw as Martin claimed third.

Next up, Elaina Turner doubled on a fly to center, sending Martin home. By the time Hixon got off the field, DeKalb was up, 3-0.

DeKalb would add another as they came to bat in the third. Pelham singled on a line drive to the pitcher, and advanced to second on an error. Murphy would then pop out to third, but Pelham would take third after tagging up. Griffith would then ground out to second base, but it would allow Pelham to cross home. The Tigerettes held a 4-0 lead.

At the top of the fourth, Turner would hit a double on a line drive to right, followed by a single to the pitcher by Bain as Turner took third. Turner would score on an error by second base as Walker was at bat, then Walker would fly out to right, allowing Bain to score after tagging up. The Tigerettes held a 6-0 lead.

The Tigerettes would seal up the win at the top of the fifth when Murphy tripled and a line drive to center. Griffith would sacrifice fly out to right as Murphy touched the plate. The game would go on to the bottom of the sixth, but DeKalb would hold on for the 7-0 shutout.

That evening the Tigerettes took on a tough team from East Hamilton. The Hurricanes would just be too much for the Tigerettes to handle with East Hamilton putting three runs on the board in the first inning, two in the second, and seven in the third. The Hurricanes would claim the 12-0 shutout against DeKalb.