By Michael Lindsay
Offense was the name of the game Thursday in Crossville as DeKalb County softball defeated Stone Memorial 14-7 in District 7-3A action.
The Tigerettes tallied 18 hits and 3 home runs and were led by Madison Martin, who went 3-4 with a home run, double, 3 RBIs, 3 runs scored and 7 total bases. Aniston Farler also went 3-4 with a triple and a run scored. Morgan Walker went 3-5 with 4 RBIs, a home run and 2 runs scored for DeKalb County.
Gracie Randolph also went yard for the Tigerettes as she hit a home run and recorded 3 RBIs as part of her 2-5 outing.
Kora Kilgore picked up the win in the circle as she struck out 10 and surrendered 5 hits and 3 earned runs in 5 innings.
Stone Memorial recorded 12 hits, led by Kara VonAchen who went 2-3 with 2 home runs, 4 RBIs and 2 runs scored. Haley Dalton went 2-3 with a triple and a run scored while freshman Ashley Whittenburg went 2-4 with 2 runs scored and an RBI.
After a scoreless first inning, Stone Memorial struck first with 4 runs in the bottom of the second inning as Bailey Dyer scored on a wild pitch followed by Madison Shaw scoring on a Whittenburg single. VonAchen followed with a 2-run homer to right field, putting the Lady Panthers ahead 4-0 after 2 innings.
DeKalb County quickly responded in the top of the third with 4 runs as Walker blasted a 2-run homer to right field, followed by a Bryna Pelham double and Randolph single to score a run each, tying the game at 4.
VonAchen gave the Lady Panthers the lead again in the bottom of the fourth with her second 2-run home run of the afternoon, this one a line drive to center to put her team ahead 6-4.
The Tigerettes answered with a 2-run home run of their own in the top of the fifth as Randolph sent one over the center field fence to tie the game at 6-6.
DeKalb County broke through in the top of the 6th inning as the Tigerettes exploded for 8 runs in the frame. Hits by Walker, Emma Martin, Pelham and Farler and a 3-run home run by Martin resulted in 8 runs for DeKalb County in the 6th, giving the Tigerettes a 14-6 advantage entering the bottom of the inning.
Stone Memorial responded with a run in the bottom of the sixth as a Chesney Cash grounder scored Dalton, making the score 14-7.
Neither team would reach home in the seventh inning, sealing DeKalb County’s 14-7 road district victory.
The Tigerettes improve to 10-3 overall and are scheduled to travel to Livingston Academy Monday at 5 p.m. for a district showdown with the Lady Wildcats. Stone Memorial falls to 6-7 and is scheduled to travel to Macon County on Tuesday for district action against the Lady Tigers.
