The DeKalb County High School Tigers baseball team had their season come to a close last week, dropping their final two regular season games, before advancing in the first round of the district tournament with a border rival win. The team would move on to the double elimination before falling to the Wildcats and then Macon County.

On Monday, May 1, the Tigers traveled to Watertown where they took on the Purple Tigers. DeKalb would take the lead mid-game, but watch as Watertown squeaked by late.

The action wouldn’t get going until the top of the third inning when Konner Young got an easy trip to first. Next up, Ty Webb stepped to the plate and hit a double line drive to left as Young stepped on the plate. DeKalb was up 1-0.

The Tigers would add another run at the top of the fourth, after Brayden Carter walked. He would take second as Cam Caballero sacrificed to the pitcher, then take third as Dallas Kirby grounded out to second. As Ean Jones was up to bat, Carter would score on a wild pitch. DeKalb increased their lead 2-0.

That’s where the score would stay until the bottom of the fifth, when Watertown’s bats suddenly came to life. The Purple Tigers would come away with a 3-2 lead before DeKalb could get off the field.

DeKalb would tie things up at their next at bat, after Carter Cook singled on a line drive to center. He would take second as Carter grounded out to second, then Caballero would take a base with a HBP. Kirby would also get hit by a ball, loading the bases, before Jones was back at the plate. Jones grounded out to short, but allowed Cook to score.

The game would be knotted at 3 until the seventh inning. Carson Donnell would take a base with a HBP, and later Cook would hit a double line drive to center as Donnell scored. The Tigers were back on top, 4-3.

Watertown had one last chance at bat, and first off would get a runner on with a HBP. Later, the bases would be loaded when a fly out to right resulted in one run tying the game. With two outs on the board, a fly to left ended with the winning run coming home. Watertown claimed the 5-4 win.

Konner Young took the loss for the Tigers, allowing five hits and five runs over two and two-thirds innings, striking out one. Cabellero started the game allowing one hit and zero runs, over four innings, striking out four and walking one.

The following day, the Tigers were on their home field for the last time as they hosted the Warren County Pioneers. It would be another game that would come down to the wire.

The Tigers would jump out with the lead at the bottom of the first, after Young singled on a line drive to right. Next, Webb singled on a grounder to right as Young took second. Young would take third during a pickoff attempt, but Andrew Dakas, running for Webb, would be caught trying to steal second. Next, Carter singled on a hard grounder to right as Young came home. DeKalb was up 1-0.

The Pioneers wouldn’t get on the board until the top of the fourth, scoring one run following a double line drive to left.

The Game would come down to the seventh inning, where the Pioneers would once again score following a double line drive to left field.

The Tigers came to bat at the bottom of the innings and Webb would single on a grounder to left, but would later get caught stealing second. That was DeKalb’s last hope. The Pioneers would claim the 2-1 win.

Donnell took the loss for the Tigers, going three innings, allowing three hits and one run, while striking out two and walking zero. Evan Prichard started the game, allowing five hits and one run over four innings, striking out one.

On Wednesday, the Tigers moved on to district tournament play, traveling to White County to face the Warriors in the first round, in a win or go home game. DeKalb would take a big lead mid-game and hold on for the win.

The game wouldn’t get going until the top of the third, after Young singled on a line drive to center. Webb was next, and singled on a line drive to left as Young took second, then Cook would then double on a line drive to center as Young came home. Later, as Kirby was up to bat, Dakas, running for Webb, scored on a wild pitch, followed by Cook, scoring on the same play. DeKalb was up, 3-0.

The Tigers would repeat in the fourth, scoring three more runs. Cabellero singled on a line drive to left, and later Donnell singled on a grounder to third as Cabellero took third. Next, Young doubled on a fly ball to center as Cabellero and Donnell scored. Webb would then double on a line drive to left sending Young home. DeKalb was up 6-0.

The Warriors wouldn’t get on the board until the bottom of the fifth, scoring two runs. That would be as far as they would get, with the Tigers claiming the 6-2 victory.

Cook took the win for the Tigers, going seven innings, allowing four hits and two runs, while striking out five and walking one.

On Thursday, the Tigers traveled to Livingston where they would face off with the Wildcats. It would ba a close game, but Livingston Academy would hold out for the win.

The Wildcats got on the board first, scoring one run at the bottom of the first.

The Tigers would get in the game at the top of the third, after Donnell singled on a line drive to center. Young would then single on a line drive to center, followed by a walk for Webb. Later, Carter would get a walk, sending Donnell home, tying the game, 1-1.

The ty wouldn’t last long as the Wildcats would score another run at the bottom of the third, but DeKalb would again tie the game as they came to bat. Jones got a walk, and would take second on a passed ball as Braxton Cantrell was up to bat. Jones would then steal third before Cantrell got a walk. Later, Jones would score after Young sacrificed on a fly to right. The game was tied 2-2.

It was at the bottom of the fourth that the Wildcats’ bats came to life. Two runs were scored following a double, a triple, and a single. The game would go to the top of the seventh, but Livingston would hold on for the 4-2 win.

Carter took the loss for DeKalb, going five innings, allowing seven hits and four runs, striking out four.

On Saturday, the Tigers traveled to Macon County where it would be do or die for the season. Macon would get on the board first, scoring one run at the bottom of the second inning, but DeKalb would come back and take the lead at the top of the third.

Donnell singled on a line drive to left, and later Webb singled on a grounder to left as Donnell took second. The bases would be loaded after Cook was hit by a pitch, then Carter grounded out to short as Donnell scored. Dakas, running for Webb, would score on a wild pitch as Kirby was up to bat and the Tigers were up 2-1.

The lead didn’t last long however, as Macon scored one run at their next at bat to tie the game. Macon would hold the Tigers off at the top of the fourth, then put three more runs on the board as they came to bat.

DeKalb’s last gasp came at the top of the fifth, after Webb hit a hard grounder and reached on an error by third. Later, Carter singled on a fly to right, as Dakas took third. Dakas would steal his way home for the Tigers’ final run of the season.

Macon would go on to score five runs in the fifth, and one more in the sixth, claiming the 11-3 win.

Cabellero took the loss for DeKalb, allowing four runs on six hits over three and a third innings, walking one.