The hometown crowd was out in force last week as the DeKalb County High School Tigerettes softball team opened their season at home, hosting the Lady Wildcats of Livingston Academy. The local girls would come away with a big win.

At the top of the first inning it looked as if the Tigerettes might be in for a tough game, as Livingston scored three runs, taking the early lead. As it would turn out, it would be the only runs the Lady Wildcats would see in the entire game.

As the Tigerettes came to bat, they started piling on the points. Morgan Walker would reach on a fly and an error by left field, then Emma Martin would hit a triple on a line drive to center, sending Walker home.

Jacey Hatfield was up next, and singled on a grounder to center as Martin scored. Hatfield would steal her way around to third, then Madison Martin would take first after being hit by a pitch. Aniston Farler would single on a line drive to center as Hatfield scored and Martin took second.

Next, Bryna Pelham doubled on a hard grounder to right field, as Farler and Martin scored. Ally Griffith would get a walk, then Elaina Turner grounded out to second as Pelham took third and Griffith took second. Walker was up again, and doubled on a line drive to left, as Pelham and Griffith touched home plate. By the end of one, the Tigerettes were up 7-3.

The action wouldn’t pick back up until the bottom of the second when Hatfield would reach on an error by the pitcher. She would again steal her way to third, then score after a sacrifice fly by Farler.

In the bottom of the third, Pelham would reach on an error by first base, then steal second. Griffith would single on a fly to right field, as Pelham took third, then Pelham would score as Turner grounded out to the pitcher. Griffith would take second.

Walker would get a walk, then Griffith and Walker would score after a bunt by Emma Martin and an error by the pitcher. A sacrifice fly to left by Hatfield would also send Martin home. At the end of three, DeKalb was up 12-3.

The Tigerettes would seal the win at the bottom of the fifth, after Kora Kilgore singled on a grounder to centerfield, sending Hatfield home. The Tigerettes would get the 13-3 win.

Bri Murphy came away with the win from the pitcher’s circle, going four innings and allowing three runs on three hits. She struck out six and walked zero. Kilgore threw one inning in relief.

The following Thursday the Tigerettes would strike again, this time defeating the visiting team from Central Magnet.

After three up and three down for Central at the top of the first inning, the Tigerettes jumped on the board first at their first at bats. Morgan Walker would single on a line drive to left field, then Emma Martin would single on a grounder and an error by first base. Jacey Hatfield would walk, then Madison Martin would walk sending Walker home. Aniston Farler would then sacrifice to left field, sending Martin home. At the end of one, DeKalb would be up, 2-0.

The Tigerettes would pick up where they left off in the second inning, after Ally Griffith walked and Kennedy Polk singled on a grounder to right. Walker was up next, and singled on a ground ball to right, sending Griffith across the plate. Emma Martin would then ground out to second, as Annabella Dakas, running for Polk, came home. Hatfield would then single on a line drive to right, as Walker scored. By the end of two, the Tigerettes were on top, 5-0.

Central Magnet would finally get on the board at the top of the third, getting two runs across the plate, but DeKalb would pile on more runs as they came to bat. After a double by Bryna Pelham, she would take third on a passed ball. Griffith would ground out with a hit to third, but Pelham would cross home plate.

Polk would advance after being hit by a pitch, and again Dakas would courtesy run. As Walker came to bat, Dakas would steal her way to third, then Walker would walk. Emma Martin would then ground to fielder’s choice and Dakas would be caught trying to take home.

Hatfield was up again, and singled on a ground ball to left, as Walker scored. Madison Martin would next single on a grounder to center, as Emma Martin scored on the throw. Farler would then single on a line drive to left, as Madison Martin scored, then Hatfield would score on the throw. Farler would later score on a passed ball, and before Central could get off the field the Tigerettes were ahead, 12-2.

Central would try to bounce back at the top of the fourth, scoring three more runs, but the Tigerettes would seal the game shut at the bottom of the fifth. Hatfield would triple on a line drive to right field, then Madison Martin would single on a grounder to left, sending Hatfield home.

Martin would advance to second on a wild pitch, then Farler would single on a ground ball to center as Martin scored on the throw. After a couple of intentional walks for Elaina Turner and Pelham to load the bases, Griffith singled on a grounder to center, sending Farler home. DeKalb would end the game with a 15-5 victory.

Kilgore was the winning pitcher, going four innings and allowing five hits and five runs. She struck out three. Murphy pitched one inning in relief and recorded the last three outs.

On Saturday, March 19, the girls would travel to Gordonsville to take on the Smith County Lady Owls in tournament play. Bri Murphy would pitch, throwing the whole game and lead the Tigerettes to a 4-0 shutout.

Later, the Tigerettes would face the Monterey Wildcats, where Kora Kilgore would throw a not hitter and lead DeKalb to another shutout, taking the 11-0 victory. The Tigerettes had 13 hits in the game, and didn’t commit a single error.

That same day, Murphy was in the circle again as the Tigerettes took on the Whitwell Lady Tigers. DeKalb would finally give up a run during the tournament, but would go on to claim the 4-1 win. Murphy surrendered one run on five hits over six innings. She struck out three and walked one. The Tigerettes are now 5-0 on the season.