While the DCHS Tigerette softball team’s season is barely a week old, the team has already rolled right over almost every team in sight, piling up eight wins, no losses and a tie.
The Tigerettes opened the season last Tuesday against district rival York Institute, blasting the Lady Dragons back to storybook land in a 15-0 shutout that lasted only two and one half innings. The game was called after only two Tigerette turns at bat due to the mercy rule.
The Tigerettes scored 15 runs, all in the second inning, on 6 hits, recording no errors. York Institute managed no runs, no hits and one error.
Kayley Caplinger got the win on the mound for the Tigerettes, pitching a no-hitter.
While the Tigerettes loaded the bases in the first inning and failed to follow through, Tyra Graham kicked DeKalb off with a grand-slam homerun in the second inning, while Kayley Caplinger and Katie Hall each put in a double-bagger. Allison Maynard, Myranda Bailiff, and Hannah Panter each hit a single for the Tigerette effort.
DeKalb then met Jackson County in Gainesboro on Wednesday, handing the Lady Blue Devils 25-1 thrashing. The game was not called early because the Jackson County coach apparently requested that five innings be played no matter the score.
DeKalb County blasted 25 runs on 15 hits, committing only one error in the game. Jackson County scored 1 run on 1 hit, putting seven errors on the books.
The Tigerettes scored two runs in the first inning, eight in the second, 11 in the third, three in the fourth, and one run in the fifth inning. Jackson County put its lone run across the plate in the first inning.
Caplinger was again the winning pitcher.
Hannah Walker belted a homerun for the Tigerette effort, while Caplinger, Joni Robinson and Myranda Bailiff hit a single and a double each. Tyra Graham put in a triple, while Allison Maynard and Dani Meadows both doubled in the game. Hannah Panter swatted three singles, and Lexie Bates hit two singles.
The team then traveled to Cookeville to play in the annual Gordonsville Tournament last weekend, dominating the event and taking the tourney crown. DeKalb’s only real competition came in the third game of pool play early Saturday, when they tied 1-1 with Marion County, who they returned to beat 4-0 in the semifinal game.
The tournament opened with the Tigerettes making short work of Altamont in a 15-4 rout.
DeKalb scored 15 runs on 14 hits, committing three errors in the contest, while Altamont put in six hits to score four runs, recording two errors. The Tigerettes scored five runs each in the first, third and fourth innings, and Altamont scored all four runs in the fourth.
Caplinger was again the winning pitcher. Panter and Maddison Parsley hit a single each. Graham and Caplinger put in two singles each and Lexi Bates dropped three singles in for the Tigerettes. Robinson placed a double, and Walker hit two singles and a double. Katie Hall rounded out the Tigerette offense with a triple.
In game two of the event, DeKalb faced East Hamilton, squeaking by with a 1-0 win.
The Tigerettes scored the lone run of the game in the second inning, getting five hits and committing no errors. East Hamilton scored no runs on four hits and one error.
Caplinger added another win from the pitcher’s mound, striking out seven opposing batters. Caplinger also put in a single and a double on offense, while Graham, Robinson and Hall all added singles.
Marion County brought an end to the Tigerettes’ winning streak, but did not come out with a win themselves when they tied DeKalb 1-0 in the third game of the tourney.
Both teams scored once in the third, and both teams scored one run on five hits in the game. DeKalb committed two errors, while Marion remained error free in the match.
Caplinger, Graham and Hall tapped in a single each for the Tigerettes. Meadows contributed a single and a double for DeKalb.
DeKalb returned to meet Watertown High School in the fourth game of the tournament, laying a 7-0 whuppin’ down on the Purple Tigers.
The Tigerettes put all seven of the game’s runs across in the second inning, recording seven hits and one error in the game. Watertown was consistent, with no runs, no hits, and no errors.
Caplinger put another win on the record, striking out eight Purple Dragons. Graham hit two doubles, Bates smacked a double, and Caplinger and Bailiff popped two singles each. Hall, Walker, and Panter all hit singles in the game as well.
The Tigerettes then faced Macon County, and came out on top 10-8.
DeKalb scored twice in the first, then backed it up with for runs each in the second and third to take the win. Macon scored two in the first and six in the second, then stalled out.
The Tigerettes put in 10 runs on 13 hits, committing three errors, while Macon County scored eight runs on 12 hits with no errors.
Madison Whitehead was the winning pitcher. Hall and Bailiff dropped in a single each, and Meadows hit two singles in the contest. Bates and Panter doubled, Caplinger, Hall and Maynard hit a single and a double each, and Graham chalked up another home run.
DeKalb found themselves back on the field with Marion County in the semifinal round of the tournament, and applied the lessons learned in the earlier match up to take a 4-0 win.
DeKalb scored single runs in the first, third, fourth and fifth innings, getting three hits in the match and committing an error. Marion failed to score on three hits, putting two errors on the books.
Caplinger put down yet another win, recording nine strikeouts in the contest. Meadows and Hall both singled, and Graham pounded another home run to help out the DeKalb offense.
The Tigerettes then faced Page High School from Franklin in the final game, taking the day with a 9-7 win against the Lady Patriots.
Caplinger took another win from the pitcher’s mound, striking out nine Lady Patriots. DeKalb scored four runs in the second inning and five in the fourth, recorded 10 hits in the game, and committed one error. Page scored two runs in the first, one in the third, and one in the fourth on eight hits and three errors.
Graham added yet another homer for DeKalb hitting a single as well, while Maynard blasted two home runs in the game. Bates ripped a single and a double. Panter hit two singles, and Hall and Caplinger both singled.
The Tigerettes, now 8-0-1 on the season, faced Central Magnet last night (Tuesday) on the road, and will host Livingston Academy at DCHS on March 24, with action beginning at 4:30 p.m. DeKalb will then travel to meet Macon County on March 25 at 4:30 p.m., and will host White County at 4:30 p.m. on March 28. All three are district games.