By Michael Lindsay
The DeKalb County Tigerettes will play for a softball state championship for the first time in program history on Friday following Thursday’s 8-7 victory over McNairy Central in the semifinal round.
“It’s a blessing to be a part of this program and with these girls,” said DeKalb County head coach Ethan Duke. “They deserve it; they’ve worked their tails off all year. We acclimate to whatever we have to do to win.”
DeKalb County trailed 6-2 entering the fifth inning before outscoring the Lady Bobcats 6-1 over the final three frames to take the 8-7 victory. Senior pitcher Kora Kilgore earned the win with 6 strikeouts while going 1-3 at the plate. Right fielder Tatum Young went 4-4 with a run scored while Zayleigh Bain drove in three runs in the win. Senior shortstop Bryna Pelham went 1-3 with two runs scored.
The Tigerettes opened the top of the first with two runs as Rylee Wilbur scored via error followed by a two-out bunt single by Young to score Pelham, giving her team a 2-0 lead.
McNairy Central went to work in the bottom of the second inning as they scored 6 runs with two outs on a triple and two singles to take a 6-2 lead.
Neither team scored in the third or fourth innings as DeKalb County entered the top of the fifth trailing by 4 runs. After an error and singles by Kilgore and Young, Maggie Hendrixson got the rally started with a two-run double to cut her team’s deficit to 6-4. Brooklyn Fuson was hit by a pitch on the ensuing at-bat before a Hannah Brown single scored Young to pull DeKalb within a run at 6-5.
The Tigerettes broke through and regained the lead two batters later as Bain hit a bases-clearing triple to drive in three runs and give DeKalb County an 8-6 lead. McNairy Central hit a solo home run in the bottom of the sixth inning to pull back within a run at 8-7 entering the seventh inning.
McNairy Central’s defense kept DeKalb County scoreless in the top of the frame, sending the contest to the bottom of the seventh at 8-7. The Lady Bobcats’ first two batters reached safely to put the winning run at first base. Kilgore forced a pop out and fly out on the next two batters before intentionally walking the bases loaded with two outs.
DeKalb County’s final out was all senior class as Kilgore forced a blooper over second base, where Pelham made a diving catch to secure their team’s Class 3A state championship berth.
“It’s most rewarding thing you can experience as a coach,” said Duke. “We’ve got two four-year players who have worked their tails off year-round to get to this point. To see them rewarded, there’s no words.”
DeKalb County will face defending Class 3A state champion Gibbs (40-3), who is seeking their 12th state championship in their 38th tournament appearance, in the championship game on Friday at 10 a.m. at MTSU’s Blue Raider Softball Field.
