The Tigerette softball squad suffered their first loss of the season Wednesday afternoon in Smithville when the Lady Cavaliers from Cookeville slid past them to take a 7-5 win.

Cookeville jumped out to a 4-0 lead in the first inning, but added a run in the second and two more in the third on a two-run homer from Mackenzie France bringing the score to 4-3. The Tigerettes added another run in the fifth, and the score remained at 4-4 through the seventh inning, but Cookeville rode a three-run rally to a 7-4 lead in the top of the eighth. DeKalb answered with one run in the bottom of the inning to bring the final to 7-5.

The Lady Cavs scored seven runs on twelve hits, recording two errors. The Tigerettes scored five runs on eight hits, committing no errors. Kayley Caplinger took the loss on the mound, striking out ten batters.

Lexie Bates, Kayley Caplinger, Emme Colwell, and Joni Robinson all hit singles for DeKalb. Megan Walker tripled, and Kenzie France hit two homeruns and a single.

The Tigerettes will play a three-game road stretch, traveling to Livingston on March 23, to White County on March 24, and Warren on March 27 before returning to DeKalb County to host Macon on March 28.