The DeKalb County High School Tigers baseball team had a delayed start to their season last week, with their scheduled Monday home game against White County postponed until Wednesday due to weather. It felt more like football weather than what most spring sports would like, but the Tigers got going on Tuesday, opening the season with a victory.

On March 14, the Tigers traveled to Sparta, where they took on White County in what would be a dominating first game. DeKalb would get on the board in the first inning and never look back.

After a fly out to center by Konner Young, Ty Webb took an easy walk to first. Carter Cook would then go down swinging as Webb stole second, but Cam Cabellero would then hit a single on a grounder to left, sending Webb home. The Tigers were up 1-0.

Action wouldn’t pick back up until the top of the third when Webb would get on base with another walk. Webb would again steal second, before Cook doubled on a line drive to right field, sending Webb across home plate.

The Tigers were not finished, as Cabellero came to bat and singled on a fly ball to center, sending Cook to third. Westin Wright would get in on the action next, hitting a single on a ground ball to right as Cook scored and Cabellero took second. Carson Donnell would come up next, hitting a single on a grounder to short. Cabellero took third as Wright took second. Dallas Kirby stepped to the plate next, hitting a single on a ground ball to right as Wright and Cabellero touched home. By the end of three and a half, DeKalb was up 5-0.

The Warriors just could never get going and the game would go on to the top of the fifth, where DeKalb would seal the game shut. After wright grounded out to short, Donnell would take a base after a HBP. Kirby would then ground out to third as Donnell was held at second, then Brayden Carter would get a walk.

Ean Jones stepped to the plate and would hit a single on a hard grounder to left, sending Donnell home and Braxton Cantrell, running for pitcher Carter, to second base. Young would then get a walk, loading the bases, before Webb came to bat. Webb would hit a single on a line drive to center, with Jones and Cantrell scoring on the throw.

Andrew Dakas would courtesy run for catcher Webb as Cook stepped to the plate. Cook would hit a double on a line drive to left, sending Young and Dakas home. By the time the Warriors got off the field, the Tigers were up, 10-0.

White County had one last at bat, but Carter shut them down. The Tigers claimed the 10-0 shutout.

Carter was the winning pitcher, allowing no hits and zero runs over five innings, striking out five.

It would be a different story the following day, as DeKalb hosted the Warriors. The Tigers fell behind early and could not get going until late in the game.

The Warriors would come away with four runs at the top of the first, then four more at the top of the fourth. DeKalb would not get on the board until the bottom of the fifth, after Wright reached on a grounder and an error by second. Later, Kirby would get a walk, then Carter would single on a fly ball to right, as Wright scored. The Tigers were on the board, 8-1.

White County would add another point on the board at the top of the fifth. With bases loaded, a HBP by pitcher Carter Cook, sent one runner home. The Warriors were up, 9-1.

The Warriors would top off their score in the seventh inning, going up 15-1. The Tigers would suddenly come to life at the bottom of the seventh, adding four more runs, with Webb, Wright, Donnell and Kirby all driving in runs, but it would be too little too late. White County would take the 15-5 win.

Cabellero took the loss for DeKalb, surrendering four runs on four hits over two innings, striking out two and walking one.

The Tigers would bounce back on Thursday as they hosted Community. This game would see Dallas Kirby with five RBIs in DeKalb’s dominating performance.

After holding Community to a three and out at the top of the first, DeKalb wasted no time getting on the board. Young would single on a line drive to center, followed by a double by Ty Webb on a line drive to left.  Carter Cook stepped up next, singling on a fly to first as Young scored. Carter would then fly out to right, but Webb would score after tagging up. Kirby would then sacrifice to right, sending Cook home.

Westin Wright would get a walk, then Cabellero would hit a single line drive to left as Wright took second. Wesley Kent would ten single on a line drive to left, Wright would score, but Cabellero would get caught trying to take third. At the end of one, DeKalb was up, 4-0.

The Tigers would hold Community off the board in the second, then pick up where they had left off. Donnell singled on a line drive to center, and would steal second as Konner Young came to bat. Young would fly out to short, but then Webb reached on a grounder and an error by short. Cook would go down swinging, but then Carter would reach on a grounder and an error, as Donnell scored.

Kirby was up to bat again, and would send to runners home on a fly ball to left field. Wright would then step up and single on fly to left as Kirby came home. At the end of two, DeKalb was up, 8-0.

Community would manage to get one run at the top of the third, but the action would then stall until the bottom of the fourth. Webb would start things off with a double line drive to left, followed by a walk for Cook. Webb would score on a wild pitch as Carter was at bat, then Carter got an easy trip to first.

Again, it was Dallas Kirby at bat. He hit a single on a hard ground ball to left, sending Carter and Cook across home plate. DeKalb was up 11-2.

The Tigers were not finished. Wright singled on a hard grounder to left, then Cabellero singled on a fly to right as Kirby touched home. Kent took a base with a HBP, loading the bases. Donnell got a walk with Wright walking across home, then Young walked sending Cabellero home. Webb would then walk sending Kent home, followed by a walk for Cook, sending Donnell Home.

Later, Ean Jones singled on a hard ground ball to center, as Young scored, then Wright hit a sacrifice fly to left as Webb touched the plate. Cook would then score as Nick Daw was up to bat, and before Community could get off the field the Tigers were up, 19-2.

Community would manage four more runs at their last at bat, but DeKalb held on for the 19-6 victory.

Evan Prichard earned the win from the mound for the Tigers. He allowed three hits and six runs over four and a third innings, striking out two. Young threw two-thirds of an inning in relief.