The DeKalb County High School Tigerettes softball team’s season came to an end last Friday after dominating their first regional game, before falling in the next two.
On Monday, May 13, the girls were on their home field as they hosted the Marshall County Tigerettes in the first round of the region tournament.
DeKalb took control at their first at bat, with lead batter at the bottom of the first, Rylee Wilbur, knocking it out of the park on a 3-2 pitch. She was followed by Zayleigh Bain who tripled on a line drive to right, and Pelham who grounded out to second as Bain scored.
Pitcher Kora Kilgore made quick work of Marshall at the top of the second, then DeKalb got back to putting points on the board. Elaina Turner singled on a line drive to right, then after a sacrifice to third by Raylie Cowan, Hannah Brown singled on a line drive to right. Wilbur was back at the plate, and singled on a grounder to third as Turner scored, then Bain singled on a bunt, loading the bases. Pelham would then single on a line drive to right as Bain and Wilbur touched the plate, then Gracie Randolph reached on a grounder and an error at first. Kilgore stepped up, and singled on a line drive to left, sending Pelham home, and DeKalb was up 7-0.
Kilgore put Marshall three up, three down at the top of the third, and DeKalb got back to business. After a double line drive to center by Wilbur, Pelham would later double on a fly to right as Wilbur scored. Randolph then doubled on a line drive to center as Pelham came home, then Kilgore doubled on a line drive to left as Randolph scored. The DCHS Tigerettes were on top, 10-1.
Marshall could not get anything going with Kilgore in the circle. The game would go to the top of the fifth with DeKalb taking the 10-1 victory. Kilgore struck out 12 batters, surrendering one hit and zero runs over five innings, walking one.
The following Wednesday, the Tigerettes once again faced their old foe, the Upperman Lady Bees. Upperman would take the early lead, but DeKalb would come back strong late.
The Lady Bees scored one run at the top of the second, top of the third, and top of the fourth to go up 3-1.
The Tigerettes wouldn’t get moving until the bottom of the fourth when they finally got on the board. After a single on a bunt by Pelham, Randolph singled on a pop fly to right. Later, Bri Murphy reached on a ground ball and error at short, as Pelham made it home. Upperman would get out of the inning, but DeKalb had cut the lead, 3-1.
The Lady Bees came away with two more runs at the top of the sixth, with DeKalb again having to try to make up ground. After a single by Bain and a walk for Pelham, Kilgore would single on a line drive to second as Bain scored. Murphy would then sacrifice at the catcher as Pelham came home, and DeKalb had again cut the lead, 5-3.
The game would go to the bottom of the seventh, giving the Tigerettes one last chance. With two outs on the board, Bain singled on a ground ball to short, then Pelham doubled on a grounder to left as Bain scored. They had cut the lead to one, but that would be as far as they would reach. Once again, this season, Upperman would come away with the narrow 5-4 win. Kilgore took the loss going seven innings, giving up five runs, on six hits, striking out 10 and walking six.
With the loss, DeKalb had to travel to Hamilton County on Friday, taking on an always dominate Soddy-Daisy team for the Class 3A sectionals. There, the Tigerettes lost 13-1, ending their season.
The DeKalb Tigerettes wrapped up the year at 20-14 overall with a District 7-3A championship.
