The DeKalb County High School Tigers baseball team started the week off right with a couple of big wins over district rivals. The team would finish district play at 8-2, clinching the 2021 regular season 8AA District title. They will host the district tournament starting Thursday, May 6, against York Institute at 6:30 PM.

On Monday, April 26, the Tigers were on their home field as they took on the visiting Livingston Wildcats. Thanks to a huge first inning, the Tigers blew out the visiting team, 11-1.

Livingston managed a double at their first at bat, but would go three and out afterwards. 

At DeKalb’s first time at the plate, the Tigers opened up the scoreboard and pulled out to a huge lead. First up, Kolter Kilgore doubled on a line drive to center field, then Isaac Knowles singled on a hit to center. After that, Jacob Johnson walked, loading the bases. Avery South walked next, sending Kilgore home, then Konner Young flew out to center and Knowles scored after tagging up.

The Tigers weren’t done yet. Next, Patrick Cantrell singled off of a bunt, once again loading the bases. Then, Dexton Emberton grounded to second base, as Johnson scored. Caven Ponder was up next and doubled on a line drive to right field as South came home. Next, Aiden Curtis singled on a line drive to left field, sending Emberton and Ponder home. By the end of the first, DeKalb was up, 6-0.

The Wildcats could do nothing at the top of the second, but the Tigers would add another run to the scoreboard at their turn at bat. Knowles would reach off of a grounder to shortstop, then go on to steal his was to second, then third. As South was up to bat, Knowles made his way home on a passed ball. DeKalb was up, 7-0.

It would be Knowles again at the bottom of the third. After reaching on a grounder to third, he would go on to steal second. Then, Johnson doubled on a line drive to left field, sending Knowles across the plate. The Tigers increased their lead, 8-0.

At the bottom of the fourth the Tigers would strike again. After getting on base by being hit by a pitch, Emberton would advance to third after a Ponder single to center field. Then, Curtis singled on line drive to right field, sending Emberton home. DeKalb held a 9-0 lead.

The Wildcats would be able to avoid the shutout at the top of the fifth, scoring one run, but the Tigers would seal the game at their next turn at the plate, scoring two more. Knowles homered on a line drive to left field, then Jordan Crook touch home plate after a Emberton grounder. The Tigers would take the 11-1 victory.

Cantrell got the victory on the mound for DeKalb, surrendering one run on six hits over five innings, striking out eight. Knowles led the Tigers with three hits in four at bats.

The following day, the Tigers would get another big when, this time due to a late game surge that put DeKalb over the top.

On Tuesday, April 27, the Tigers were once again on the road, this time taking the twisting roads to Macon County. The game wouldn’t start out well for DeKalb when the home team jumped out to a 3-0 lead in the first inning, but the Tigers slowly clawed their way into the game.

At the top of the second the Tigers got on the board after Dexton Emberton knocked the ball out of right field, but Macon came right back with a homer of their own at their next at bat. DeKalb was down, 4-1.

Action didn’t heat back up until the top of the fifth inning, when the Tigers’ bats suddenly got hot. After Emberton was hit by a pitch, and Caven Ponder singled on a line drive to right field, a bunt by Aiden Curtis resulted in a single and Emberton scoring after an error by the pitcher. Then, Kolter Kilgore grounded out to third, but allowed Grayson Hendrix, running for Ponder, to touch home. Next, Isaac Knowles singled on a line drive to right field, as Nathaniel Dace, courtesy running for Curtis, touched home plate. DeKalb had tied the game, 4-4.

Macon would regain the lead at the bottom of the fifth, scoring two more runs, but the Tigers kept up the pressure, when Curtis reached on a grounder to shortstop, as Patrick Cantrell came home. DeKalb cut the lead, 6-5.

It came down to the seventh inning, and DeKalb would finally jump ahead with the lead. First, Avery South grounded to shortstop as Knowles scored, the Cantrell doubled on a line drive to left field as Jordan Crook, in for South, touched home. Cantrell would later come in off of a wild pitch, then Emberton would get his own steal of home. The Tigers took the 9-6 lead.

Macon had one more turn at bat, but DeKalb held them off, taking the victory.

Issac Knowles took the win for DeKalb lasting three innings, allowing four hits and zero runs while striking out six. Emberton threw two and a third innings in relief out of the bullpen. Avery South started the game for the Tigers, surrendering four runs on four hits over one and two-thirds innings, striking out four and walking one. Knowles and Cantrell each collected two hits to lead DeKalb.

On Thursday, April 29 the Tigers traveled to Warren County where they managed to get most of a game in before being called for rain. The match would end in a 4-4 tie.

The Pioneers jump out with the early lead, scoring two runs in the second inning, then another two in the third.

DeKalb finally got on the board in the fifth inning, when Knowles stole his way home, then South flew out to right field, as Johnson tagged home plate. After that, Crook flew out to right, before Young came home, then Levi Cantrell singled on a grounder to left field as Patrick Cantrell scored. The Tigers tied the game 4-4.

The game would go to the bottom of the sixth, with one out against Warren County before it was called, ending with the tie.