Lady Cavs Fall In Heartbreaker To Stewart’s Creek, 7-4

by Rusty Ellis

COOKEVILLE – A three-run ninth inning proved to be the difference in a 7-4 loss for Cookeville, as they fell just short against Stewart’s Creek in a district matchup.

After a leadoff home run gave Stewart’s Creek an early 1-0 lead, Cookeville answered in the bottom of the first on Kadie Presley’s RBI single to score Julie Martin. Kyrklinn Moores gave the Lady Cavs the lead, as Stewart’s Creek mishandled her grounder and allowed Presley to score to give Cookeville a 2-1 lead.

Kylie Kleppin drove Martin in for a 3-1 advantage in the second inning, and Cookeville took their biggest lead of the game at 4-1 in the bottom of the fourth on a wild pitch.

Stewart’s Creek battled back however, and plated three runs in the top of the fifth to tie the game at 4-4. Madison Lancaster entered the game with runners on second and third with one out, and stranded them there with a strikeout and a groundout to end the inning.

The score remained this way after the seventh, forcing extra innings. The Lady Cavs had their best opportunity of the night to finish the win in the bottom of the eighth, as they loaded the bases with no one out. A strikeout and a double-play ended the threat scoreless however, as the game moved to the ninth inning.

And there, Stewart’s Creek plated the three runs they needed to close out the 7-4 win.

Ella Dudney took the loss in the circle, as she pitched 4.1 innings and allowed four runs (three earned) on five hits and two walks. Lancaster tossed 4.2 innings in relief, giving up the three runs in the ninth on two hits, four walks and three strikeouts.

Cookeville will be back in action on Tuesday, as they head to Wilson Central.