After an emotional win in the sectional round over Columbia Academy, the Forrest Lady Rockets came out flat in the first round of the TSSAA Blue Cross Spring Fling on Tuesday and paid the price, losing 4-3 to Whitwell.

"They were flat, no doubt about it," said Forrest head coach Becky Cheatham. "We dug ourselves a hole, so we have to pick our chin up and come back over here tomorrow like we want to play and execute."

Problems arise

Forrest out-hit the Lady Tigers 11-8 in the contest, but could not get runners around from scoring position early and made some sloppy plays in the field, falling behind 2-0 in the bottom of the first inning on RBIs by Whitwell's Hailey Andregg and Kathleen Sledge.

After three times up at bat, the Lady Rockets had left four runners stranded, and in the home half of the third inning, Whitwell tacked on another run on Sledge's second RBI of the game, coupled with a Forrest error.

Liz Daughrity led off the fourth with a single for Forrest, but was erased at second on a fielder's choice grounder by Savannah Brothers.

Jessica Harmon and Samantha King followed with back-to-back singles, scoring Brothers.

Surge stopped

It was all they would get as Sledge gunned down a Forrest runner trying to steal second before Whitwell starter Riley Long came up with a strikeout, ending the potential big inning for the Lady Rockets.

Whitwell added another run in the bottom of the fifth as Andregg singled to lead off the frame, went all the way to an uncovered third base on a sacrifice by Sledge, and scored on a wild pitch to make 4-1.

Forrest went 1-2-3 in the sixth and avoided a big disaster in the bottom of the inning as Sara Jordan worked her way out of a bases-loaded, one-out jam.

The Lady Rockets would not go down easy as King led off the seventh with a towering home run to left field on a full-count pitch.

Kiyoko Puca followed with an infield single and went to second on a groundout.

Long got the second out on a pop-up, but Katie Warrick extended the contest with an RBI single, scoring Puca to make it a one-run game.

Long induced a game-ending groundout to Whitwell's stellar shortstop Alyssa Coppinger, who recorded seven assists and one put-out in the game.

Positives

"We have got to find those positive things and hold on to those," said Cheatham. "We have to come in here tomorrow and play like we are supposed to be here and if we do that, we will be OK."

Coppinger went 2-2 with two runs scored, and Andregg had three hits in four at-bats with two runs scored and two RBIs.

Magen Fulfer had two hits and Kelsey Kilgore added one base knock for the Lady Tigers.

Forrest eighth-grader Samantha King went 3-3 with two RBIs and a run scored, while Kelsey Darnell (2-4) and Warrick (2-4, RBI) both had a pair of hits in the contest.

Daughrity (1-3), Brothers (1-3 RS), Harmon (1-3), and Puca (1-3, RS) all had one hit apiece for Forrest.