By Michael Lindsay
The White County Warriorettes picked up a key District 7-3A softball victory Thursday evening as they rallied from a 4-run deficit to defeat Livingston Academy, 11-9.
“The seniors and everybody stepped up and played good,” said White County head coach Jerry Roberts. “We had a couple of mental mistakes, but we fought through them and were able to overcome a lot.”
White County totaled 10 hits in the win led by senior centerfielder Abby Guy, who went 3-4 with a home run, 3 RBIs and 3 runs scored.
“She had a couple of great hits and a home run,” Roberts said. “She made a few diving catches that were spectacular.”
Livingston Academy racked up 9 hits, led by Sabrina Garrett, Emma Dulworth and Abby Swallows who had 2 hits each. Garrett and Bailey Hutchinson each hit a home run for the Lady Wildcats.
After a scoreless top half of the first inning, Guy hit a 2-run homer in the bottom of the frame to give the Warriorettes a 2-0 lead.
Livingston Academy answered in the top of the second as Maddie Gaw drew a bases-loaded walk before a Swallows double scored two runs to give the Lady Wildcats a 3-2 advantage after two innings.
Livingston wasn’t done there as a pair of home runs over the next two innings pushed their lead out to 6-2. Garrett delivered a 2-run shot to left in the top of the third before a Hutchison solo homer in the top of the fourth gave LA a 4-run lead entering the bottom of the fourth.
White County answered with a run by Guy in the bottom of the fourth before another LA run in the top of the fifth gave the Lady Wildcats a 7-3 lead entering the bottom of the fifth inning.
Trailing by 4 runs, White County’s offense came alive in the fifth as the Warriorettes racked up 6 runs in the bottom of the frame to take a 9-7 lead.
“We were hitting the ball hard, but right to people,” Roberts said. “I kept telling them to keep being aggressive at the plate. Those hard-hit balls are sooner or later going to find holes.”
Abigayle Finan started the rally by drawing a bases-loaded walk to score Ashlynn Rohlander before a Maddie Rust fly-out scored Ryleigh Burchett to make the score 7-5.
White County scored 4 more runs with 2 outs in the bottom of the fifth as singles from Hannah Poteet, Jessica Wright and Rohlander drove in 4 runs to give the Warriorettes a 9-7 lead entering the sixth inning.
Livingston Academy wouldn’t go away quietly as the Lady Wildcats responded with 2 runs in the top of the sixth to tie the game at 9. Gaw drove in Tatum Pendergrass along with Dulworth stealing home to tie the game at 9 entering the bottom of the sixth.
White County’s Abby Guy stepped up again in the bottom of the sixth as she delivered an RBI single to left, putting the Warriorettes ahead 10-9. Guys scored the following at-bat as a Rust pop-fly forced a Lady Wildcat error to extend White County’s lead to 11-9 entering the seventh inning.
Livingston Academy threatened in the top of the seventh as they had two runners on with two outs before Hannah Crawford shut the door on a potential comeback to seal the 11-9 victory.
Crawford recorded the victory as she struck out 5 and gave up 5 hits in 5 innings of relief.
Up next for White County is a non-district contest against Cookeville on Monday while Livingston Academy is scheduled to travel to Gordonsville on Monday.
