Lady Knights’ comeback ends Tigerettes’ season

Dennis Holley Tribune Correspondent
Posted 5/18/21

It was a windy, sunny Wednesday afternoon on the campus of Nolensville High School as the Marshall County Tigerettes travelled for a do or die showdown with the Lady Knights in the District 12-AA Tournament loser’s bracket final.

Both teams knew the season was on the line as a win earned a spot versus Forrest in the district title game and a berth in the Region 6-AA Tournament or a loss and the season was over.

It was the third meeting this season between the two squads with Nolensville ace Rylan Smith dominating in each contest.

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Lady Knights’ comeback ends Tigerettes’ season

Posted

It was a windy, sunny Wednesday afternoon on the campus of Nolensville High School as the Marshall County Tigerettes travelled for a do or die showdown with the Lady Knights in the District 12-AA Tournament loser’s bracket final.

Both teams knew the season was on the line as a win earned a spot versus Forrest in the district title game and a berth in the Region 6-AA Tournament or a loss and the season was over.

It was the third meeting this season between the two squads with Nolensville ace Rylan Smith dominating in each contest.

The Tigerettes came up with three big runs off Smith in the third inning and carried a 3-2 lead into the bottom of the seventh inning before the Lady Knights rallied to pull out a 4-3 win.

MCHS coach Baylee Taylor had said after her team had ousted Giles County from the tournament on Tuesday night,” It will be the fourth time we have faced Nolensville and I’m expecting something different.”

For six and a half innings there was a difference with the Tigerettes playing their best game of the season.

“We made some changes and I told the girls that everyone has a role and they bought into it,” Taylor said. “They played good and I’m proud of them.”

Taylor made lineup changes that paid off with senior shortstop Tatum Garrett moving to the lead off position in the batting order, center fielder Ellie Luce moved to third base, Kaniyah Taylor stepped into the designated hitter spot, Oliva Wooten moved to centerfield, and freshman Courtney Lynch started in right field.

The game began with Smith once again firing on all cylinders as she struck out the side in the top of the first inning.

In the bottom of the first, Nolensville got a one out double by Avery Patton, but Tigerette hurler Taylor Pickle got Page Dickinson to ground to Madison Hery at second for the second out and Lexi Hall to ground out to Luce at third base to end the inning.

In the top of the second inning with two outs, Taylor doubled down the third base line, but was stranded as Smith picked up her fourth strikeout.

Emily Gable singled with one out in the bottom of the second and stole second base, but Pickle induced a pair of popups to keep the game scoreless.

The Tigerettes attacked in the top of the third inning as Demiyah Blackman doubled to left field with one out and Garrett followed with a double to centerfield to score Blackman.

Hery got aboard on an error by the Nolensville shortstop with Garrett taking third base on the play.

Hery advanced to second base on a passed ball and Luce followed with a double to left field that drove in Garrett and Hery for a 3-0 MCHS lead.

The Lady Knights responded in the bottom of the third inning as Lauren Ryan led off with a base hit to left field and was sacrificed to second by Macy Dupree, who was thrown out by Garrett on a great play in the hole for the second out.

Ryan scored on a single by Patton to cut the Tigerettes’ lead to 3-1.

Page Dickinson singled, but strayed too far off first base and was picked off by Tigerette catcher Jessa Lancaster for the second out.

Hall drew a walk to put two runners on, but Smith grounded to Luce at third base for the third out.

Both teams left runners on base in the fourth and fifth innings and neither could push across a score.

The Tigerettes avoided a potential game changer in the bottom of the fifth inning as Dupree coaxed a walk from Pickle and Page Dickinson singled to put two on with one out.

Savannah Maynard, inserted as a courtesy runner for Dickinson, strayed away too far from first and Lancaster picked her off for the third out.

The Tigerettes got a single by Abby McGehee in the top of the sixth inning, but could not bring her home and the score remained at 3-1.

The Lady Knights scored in the bottom of the sixth inning as Smith led off with a triple to right field and scored on a fielder’s choice RBI by Gable to make it 3-2.

The Tigerettes could not answer in the top of the seventh and when Dupree singled passed a diving Hery at second base the stage was set for the Nolensville rally in the bottom of the seventh inning.

Patton followed with a single to center field and the Lady Knights had two on with no outs.

Page Dickinson doubled off the glove of Lynch in right field, but Lynch recovered to throw home to prevent Dupree from scoring, only to see the ball get away, allowing Dupree to race home with the tying run.

Hall drew a walk to load the bases and Pickle got Smith to popup to Hery at second base for the first out.

Emily Gable then drove a ball deep to right field that Lynch tracked down with a beautiful running catch then threw home to try to gun down Patton, but the umpire’s call was safe at home and the game was over.

The Tigerette faithful and players dissolved into tears as the season slipped away.

“It was the best game I have seen us play, especially defensively, we made play after play,” Taylor said. “The last inning they put pressure on us by hitting the ball. Courtney (Lynch) made a great play in right field and she’s only a freshman, but with a great future ahead of her.”

Tigerette seniors Garrett, McGehee, and Riley Lentz finished up great careers while Pickle, the cerebral pitcher returns.

Taylor discovered her hitting stroke late in the season and pitchers beware next year.

Hery will be diving for balls at second and using her speed at the plate, Luce is a professional softball player if there is such a thing in high school play, the outfield with Wooten, Lynch and probably the best athlete on the team (Blackman) all return as well.

Marshall County 003 000 0-3 7 0

Nolensville 001 001 2-4 12 1

MCHS: Tatum Garrett 2-for-4, Ellie Luce 1-for-3, Demiyah Blackman 1-for-3, Kaniyah Taylor 1-for-3, Abby McGehee 1-for-3, Courtney Lynch 1-for-3.

2B: Taylor, Blackman, Luce, Garrett.

RS: Garrett, Hery, Blackman.

RBI: Luce 2, Garrett.

ROE: Madison Hery.

LOB: 5

LP: Taylor Pickle (7IP, 12H, 4R, 4ER, 1SO, 3BB).

Nolensville: Avery Patton 3-for-4, Page Dickinson 3-for-4, Emily Gable 2-for-3, Macy Dupree 1-for-2, Rylan Smith 1-for-3, Lauren Ryan 1-for-3, Kendra McNeil 1-for-3.

BB: Dupree, Lexi Hall 2.

RS: Dupree, Patton, Ryan, Jasmine Morden.

2B: Patton, P. Dickinson.

3B: Smith.

RBI: Patton, P. Dickinson, Gable.

SB: Gable 2.

SAC: Dupree.

LOB: 7.

WP: Rylan Smith (7IP, 3H, 3R, 2ER, 9SO, 0BB).