The Marshall County Tigerettes travelled to Columbia Academy Monday night for a last minute matchup due to the rainy weather that caused the cancellation of many of the area's prep events and the game turned out to be good and bad for the Lewisburg girls, who lost 4-2 to the Lady Bulldogs.

The good...

Good that they played a tight head-to-head game with a quality Class A opponent in preparation for the upcoming district tournament.

"We have got to hit faster pitching, we have to turn on the ball if it's inside and we left 10 baserunners on," MCHS coach Heather Denton said. "We have got to do a better job of executing what is given to us. We have athletes, we have great players---we just have to take advantage of the opportunities given to us."

...And the bad

Bad that they left a bevy of runners in scoring position, committed a crucial error that put Columbia Academy ahead for good and by the end of the game, the Tigerettes were icing a bunch of bruises caused by four hit batsmen by CA pitcher Shelby Cummins and a hard shot back to the circle that knocked MCHS starting pitcher Marlee Woodward out of the game in the sixth inning.

"I told them we have to play tough, this is the end of the season," Denton said. "Sometimes we are going to be a little sore and a little banged up, but we have to play through it."

Cummins drilled three Marshall County batters in the first inning, but the Tigerettes could not push a run across.

Early lead

Woodward held the Lady Bulldogs scoreless the first two innings and the Tigerettes took a 1-0 lead in the top of the third as Leah Hollingsworth singled to lead off the frame, went to second base on a sacrifice bunt by Allison Sheroski and scored on a Columbia Academy error.

Cummins got out of the two-on one out jam with a strikeout and a pop-up to second base.

Cummins played Houdini in the circle in the bottom of the fourth inning as MCHS loaded the bases with two outs on three singles, but the CA hurler caught the next Tigerettes' looking at a third strike to end the scoring threat.

Columbia Academy got back-to-back base hits by Bailey Thornton and Shelby Lentz with one out in the home half of the inning and Brittany Adair walked to load the sacks.

CA in front

It looked like Woodward would pull the rabbit out of her hat when the next CA batter hit the ball right back to her and she threw home for the force out, but the throw to first for a sure double play sailed into the right corner and two runs scored, making it a 2-1 contest.

MCHS went down 1-2-3 in the top of the fifth inning and in the home half of the stanza, Lentz had an RBI single to put the home team up 3-1.

Cummins retired the side in order again in the sixth inning.

With one out and a runner on second base in the bottom of the inning, Sabrina Gilliam hit shot back to the circle that hit Woodward in the leg and knocked her out of the game.

Pulling away

Corrine Shapiro followed with an RBI base knock off not warmed-up reliever Halle Chapman that made it 4-1.

The Tigerettes did not give up as Sheroski was drilled by Cummins with one out and left the game with a leg bruise.

Courtney Edde came in to replace Sheroski and she went to second base when Sydne Solomon drew a base on balls.

Cummins the second out with a strikeout, but Emily Martin kept the game alive with an RBI base hit to center field, sending the potential tying run to the plate.

Game's over

Cummins would have none of it, recording the final out on a strikeout looking.

"These girls are fighters and they want to win, they just have to do the little things right to win the ballgame," Denton said. "Sometimes your talent won't get you there every time, we have to work on those little things, especially scoring when we have runners on second base."

The Tigerettes first-round opponent was undetermined at press time, but it will be at Reese Hambrick Field in Lewisburg.

Seniors

Denton talked about her two seniors after the game, Sheroski and Martin.

"We are really going to miss both of them," Denton said. "Sheroski is a hustler and quick on the bases and has been a phenomenal outfielder for us and whenever it is hit to center field I breathe a sigh of relief immediately and Emily is strong behind the plate and plays third base when we need her and her bat has come alive, so I am really proud of both of them."

Marshall County 001 000 1-2 5 1

Columbia Academy 000 211 X-4 12 2

Marshall County: Leah Hollingsworth 1-for-4, Allison Sheroski 1-for-1, Emily Martin 1-for-2, Kathryn Donahue 1-for-3, Savannah Wooten 1-for-3

RS: Hollingsworth, Courtney Edde

RBI: Martin

SAC: Sheroski

HBP: Sheroski 2, Sydne Solomon, Martin

SB: Solomon, Martin

Columbia Academy: Bailey Thornton 3-for-3, Sabrina Gilliam 2-for-3, Corrine Shapiro 2-for-4, Shelby Lentz 2-for-3, Kaylee Ray 1-for-4, Shelby Cummins 1-for-4, Mary Grace Golden 1-for-4

RS: Ray, Cummins, Lentz, Brittney Adair

2B: Ray, Gilliam, Thornton

RBI: Shapiro, Lentz

FC: Abigail Thomason

WP: Shelby Cummins (7IP, 5H, 2R, 1ER, 9K, 2BB)

LP: Marlee Woodard (5.1IP, 11H, 4R, 2ER, 7K, 2BB), Halle Chapman (.2IP, 1H, 0R, 0ER, 0K, 0BB)