Tigerettes alone at the top

The Marshall County Tigerettes (22-6, 9-1) have already enjoyed a lot of success this season, finishing second at the Commando Classic and in the Lincoln County Border Battle, beating some tough competition along the way, but what head coach Holly Cook yearns for is the same intensity that earned them those great finishes every night and she got it Tuesday in a solid 6-0 win over Fairview, giving Cook and her big cats first place in the District 12-AA standings.

"It feels good; it feels good to be in first. I like that place," said Cook after the game.

Cook added, "I would like for us to show up like we did today for the rest of the district games. There is no way anybody should beat us if we play the way we did today. That is the team that I know and that is the team that needs to show up every game from here on out."

Mieke Wallace was solid in the circle for the Tigerettes, giving up four hits, striking out six and walking none in the complete game shutout.

Wallace did not allow a Yellow Jacket runner past second base the entire contest and contributed at the plate with a two-run single in the fifth inning.

Fairview's Tiffany Franks led off the game with a slap hit to left and was sacrificed to second by Angel Messenger.

Wallace got the second out on a nasty third strike change-up to Shelby Hoppe and then got out of the inning on a 5-3 bouncer to Brandie Jett.

Jett led off the home half of the first with a slap single of her own and Austyn Whaley bunted Jett over to second.

Brianna Roberts wasted no time, drilling a first pitch fastball from Chelsey Shelby off the centerfield fence and Jett scored easily.

KiKi Summers reached on an error and Kathryn Haislip followed with an RBI single to left, scoring Roberts for a 2-0 lead.

Wallace struck out the side in the second and the Tigerettes added an unearned run in the bottom of the frame when Mary Medley scored on an error after a leadoff double.

Down went the Jackets 1-2-3 in the top of the 3rd.

MCHS got two on with no outs in the bottom of the inning, but could not convert a run.

Wallace set down the Williamson County squad in order again in the 4th inning.

The Tigerettes did not score in the home half of the fourth and Fairview got a single in the fifth, but could not move the runner anywhere.

Whaley reached on an error, leading off the bottom of the fifth and Roberts was hit by a pitch, putting runners on first and second.

A fly-out to center and a 4-3 fielder's choice put Tigerettes on second and third with two outs for Wallace, who delivered a hot shot through the box to center, scoring Whaley and Roberts for a 5-0 MCHS lead.

Fairview put the bat on the ball three times in the top of the sixth, but each time the Tigerette defense was up to the task in another 1-2-3 inning.

DeLorean Taylor banged a one out single in the bottom of the sixth and trotted home one batter later on an RBI double to left by Whaley, making it 6-0.

Wallace snared a ground ball up the middle for the first out in the seventh before Trish Lancaster floated a single down the right field line.

Wallace grabbed another hot shot up the middle and threw to Roberts at short for the force at second and Fairview was down to their last chance.

Jett ended the contest, grabbing a ground ball and firing to Kayla Harmon at first for the last out, sending the Tigerettes into first place all alone.

MCHS plays another district game versus Spring Hill on Thursday and are looking forward to the Friday night free-for-all with Forrest and Cornersville in Chapel Hill.

Cook said about the event, "I told the girls Thursday's game is the most important. Friday is a pride game really, but Thursday is huge to keep us atop of the district. I think Friday is going to be exciting. It is so exciting to have three teams in the county that are as good and as competitive as we are and I think it will be nothing but good for the community."