The DeKalb County High School Tigers baseball team split a couple of games against Stone Memorial last week, then went on to get a couple of big wins against Trousdale and Watertown.

On Monday, April 11, the Tigers traveled to Crossville where they took on Panthers. Pitching was strong on both sides, but DeKalb would move ahead for the win.

The Tigers would go three up, three down at the top of the first, then the Panthers would get on the board after a single and later a triple. Stone Memorial was up 1-0.

DeKalb would tie things up at their next at bats, with Patrick Cantrell getting a single on a grounder to short, followed by a Ty Webb sacrifice, advancing Dallas Kirby, running for Cantrell, to second. Dexton Emberton then stepped up to the plate and singled on a ground ball and an error by first base. Kirby would score and Emberton would take second on the error.

Things wouldn’t pick back up until the top of the third, when the Tigers would pull ahead. Westin Wright singled on a fly to right, then Kolter Kilgore would get an easy trip to first with a walk. Both runners would advance after a sacrifice to third by Isaac Knowles, then Avery South would walk to first. Cantrell would strike out looking, then Ty Webb would get a walk, sending Wright home. The Tigers were up, 2-1.

At the top of the fifth, the Tigers would add one final run after Knowles singled on a line drive to center. Cantrell would later single on a bunt to the pitcher as Knowles took third, then, as Webb came to bat, Knowles would score on a passed ball.

The game would go to the bottom of the seventh, but the Tigers would hold on for the 3-1 victory.

Cantrell led DeKalb from the mound, going seven innings and allowing two hits and one run, while striking out 14 and walking zero.

The following day, the Tigers were back on their home field, this time hosting the Panthers. DeKalb would get going until late in the game, and by then it was too late.

The Panthers would strike first with a home run at their first at bat in the top of the second. Another home run on a fly out to center at the top of the third gave Stone Memorial a two run lead, then the Panthers would add three more as they came to bat at the top of the fourth.

The Tigers wouldn’t get going until the bottom of the fifth. Webb would take a base after a HBP, then Kilgore singled on a bunt to the pitcher and an error by first. Webb advanced to third. Later Grayson Hendrix would walk, loading the bases, then Knowles hit a double on a line drive to center as Webb, Hendrix, and Kilgore touched home plate. DeKalb had cut the lead 5-3.

But the Panthers’ bats were too strong, and Stone Memorial would score two more runs at the top of the sixth. DeKalb would manage one more run at the bottom of the sixth, but the lead was too much for the Tigers to overcome. Stone Memorial would take the 7-4 win.

Emberton took the loss going three and a third innings, allowing five runs on six hits, striking out five and walking none.

On Thursday, April 14, the Tigers hosted Trousdale County, coming away with a big win over the Yellow Jackets.

DeKalb would strike first in the bottom of the first after Knowles singled on a line drive to right. He would then take second on a passed ball as Webb came to the plate. Webb would ground out to short, but Knowles would then take third. Knowles would make his way home after a South single on a fly to center. The Tigers were on the board 1-0.

The Yellow Jackets would tie the game at one at the top of the second, and the action wouldn’t pick back up until the bottom of the fifth when the Tigers would pull ahead. After Konner Young and Kirby got a walk, Young would score on a single grounder to left by Knowles. The Tigers were up 2-1.

Trousdale wouldn’t go away however, and would take the lead with two runs scored at the top of the sixth.

As the Tigers came to bat at the bottom of the sixth, DeKalb would seal the game shut. Kilgore singled on a ground ball to left field, and later Young would get a double on a line drive to right as Kilgore crossed the plate. Hendrix and Kirby would each get a walk, then as Knowles was up to bat, Young scored on a passed ball.

Knowles would ground to short, and Kirby would be caught at second. As Webb was at the plate, Hendrix scored on a passed ball, with Knowles taking third. Webb would walk, then as South came to bat, Knowles scored on a passed ball. South would single on a line drive to left as Webb then scored.

Later, Cantrell singled on a line drive to right, then Kilgore singled on a line drive to left as South scored. By the time the Yellow Jackets got off the field, DeKalb was up 8-3.

Trousdale had one more at bat, but it was too late. The Tigers claimed the 8-3 win.

Cam Cabellero took the win from the mound, going two innings allowing two hits, two runs, striking out three and walking none. Hendrix started the game, allowing four hits and one run over five innings, striking out nine and walking zero.

The following day, the team was back on the road, this time traveling to Watertown. DeKalb would take a big lead in the third inning and never look back.

The game remained scoreless until the top of the third when Hendrix singled on a grounder to short, then Carson Donnell got an easy trip to first with a walk. Knowles was next and would load the bases with a single line drive to left. Young would step to plate and would walk, sending Hendrix home.

South was up next and hit a double on a line drive to left, as Young scored, then Donnell and Knowles would score on the throw as South took third. South himself would score as Cantrell was at the plate, scoring on a passed ball.

Cantrell would fly out to left, then Kilgore singled on a line drive to right field. Emberton would walk, then Webb would strike out looking. As Hendrix came to bat, Dallas Kirby, courtesy running for Kilgore, took third on a passed ball, then scored on another passed ball. Hendrix would go down swinging, but the Tigers had taken a 6-0 lead.

Watertown would get on the board with one run at the bottom of the fourth, but DeKalb would add two more runs at their next at bat.

Cantrell singled on a line drive to left, and would take second after a sacrifice by Kilgore to first. Emberton would ground out to first as Cantrell took third, then Webb took first after a HBP. Hendrix was up next and singled on a line drive to center, sending Cantrell home, then Webb scored on the throw as Hendrix advanced to third. The Tigers commanded an 8-1 lead.

The Purple Tigers tried to rally, scoring one run at the bottom of the fifth, and three more at the bottom of the sixth. Webb would score one more for the Tigers at the top of the seventh, leading to DeKalb’s 9-5 victory.

Knowles was credited for the win from the mound, going three innings, allowing no runs and no hits, striking out two and walking one. South threw four innings in relief.