By Michael Lindsay
The DeKalb County Tigerettes (24-5-1) opened Class 3A state softball tournament play Wednesday morning and and advanced in the winners’ bracket via a Hannah Brown walk-off home run in the bottom of the 8th inning to defeat McNairy Central, 4-2.
“Grit is these girls’ middle name,” said DeKalb County head coach Ethan Duke. “They find a way to win, and when it matters most they lock in.”
DeKalb County senior lefty pitcher Kora Kilgore recorded 19 strikeouts in the victory while allowing 3 hits and 1 walk.
“Kora is a one-of-a-kind player,” said Duke. “The defense played solid behind her, and credit to McNairy Central for hitting when they needed to hit.”
DeKalb County opened the contest with two runs in the bottom of the first inning as a Bryna Pelham double scored Rylee Wilbur followed by a Kilgore single to score Pelham.
The Tigerettes’s 2-0 lead stood until McNairy Central scored a run in the top of the fifth and sixth innings to tie the game at 2-2. DeKalb County only needed one extra inning before Brown delivered a two-run homer to center, walking off the 4-2 victory.
DeKalb County will play again Wednesday at 3 p.m. against Unicoi County in the winners’ bracket.
