Warriorettes Fall 9-8 in Extra-Inning Battle

The Warriorettes were back on the field Monday night, and it didn’t take long for things to get interesting.

White County jumped out fast in Smithville, but after trading momentum all evening, the game stretched into extra innings where DeKalb County Tigerettes walked it off for a 9-8 win over White County.

It took just four pitches for White County to strike first. Kylie Norvell doubled to start the hitting and came around to score when Anna McCulley’s ground ball was mishandled. Five pitches later, the lead doubled. Callie Phillips singled to move McCulley to third, and Addison Howell’s fly ball was misplayed in the outfield, allowing another run to cross and make it 2-0.

DeKalb County answered with a run in the bottom of the first, but White County quickly responded again. Miah Jo Swindell reached on a single to start the inning, and Addison Norvell’s bunt created more trouble when the third baseman couldn’t make a clean play. Swindell came all the way around to score, and Norvell advanced to third. Kylie Norvell followed with a line drive to right field, bringing her sister home and extending the lead to 4-1.

The Tigerettes chipped away in the third. Three straight singles loaded the bases, and a fielder’s choice plated one run. Two more hits followed, and just like that, the game was tied heading into the fourth.

White County briefly regained control in the top half of the inning. A walk by Kylie Norvell, a groundout from McCulley, and a single by Phillips helped push another run across. But DeKalb County answered again—this time taking its first lead of the night with a two-run fourth inning before adding more damage in the fifth on a two-run home run over the right field fence.

Trailing 8-5 entering the seventh, the Warriorettes still had one more push left.

A leadoff walk, followed by an error and a ground ball, put two runners in scoring position. With first base open, DeKalb County elected to intentionally walk Kylie Norvell, loading the bases. McCulley made them pay with an RBI single, and Phillips followed with a sharply hit ball that was misplayed at second base, allowing two runs to score and tying the game at 8-8.

In the bottom half, Annie Burrier shut the door—striking out two and retiring the side in order to send the game into extras.

White County threatened again in the eighth, putting two runners on base, but couldn’t find the go-ahead run. DeKalb County capitalized in its half of the inning. A double and two intentional walks loaded the bases, and a ground ball into the outfield brought home the winning run, ending the game at 9-8.

Mabry Taylor started in the circle for White County, allowing 14 hits and eight runs. Burrier took the loss, pitching the final two innings and giving up one run on two hits and two walks.

WHITE COUNTY BOX SCORE:

HITS: Kylie Norvell 2, Callie Phillips 2, Addison Howell 2, Addison Norvell 1, Anna McCulley 1, Annie Burrier 1, Miah Jo Swindell 1
RUNS: Kylie Norvell 3, Miah Jo Swindell 2, Addison Norvell 1, Anna McCulley 1, Abbi Hutson 1
RBI: Callie Phillips 3, Kylie Norvell 1, Anna McCulley 1
2B: Kylie Norvell
TB: Kylie Norvell 3, Addison Howell 2, Callie Phillips 2, Addison Norvell 1, Anna McCulley 1, Annie Burrier 1, Miah Jo Swindell 1
SB: Miah Jo Swindell

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