After posting a 1-2 record in pool play, the Marshall County Tigerettes made an early exit from the single elimination portion of the Middle Tennessee Softball Coaches Association tournament when they lost 3-2 in the first round to the Collinwood Trojanettes in five innings on Saturday afternoon.

With the game approaching the hour and 15 minute time limit, Marshall County held a 2-0 lead heading into the bottom of the fifth inning, but Collinwood snatched victory from the jaws of defeat by scoring three runs in the frame on three hits and a MCHS error to pull out the dramatic victory.

The Tigerettes struggled at the plate for much of the contest and mustered just two hits and four walks against Trojanette starting pitcher Gretchen Greer. Centerfielder Morgan Moyers and shortstop Ashton Watkins each singled to account for both Marshall County hits with Moyers scoring one run. Austyn Whaley also added two walks, a RBI, and a run scored for MCHS.

Tigerette sophomore hurler Jacey Perryman was the tough luck loser in the circle and allowed three runs, two earned, on six hits and a walk over four and two-third innings to go along with one strikeout. Although Marshall County committed an error in the pivotal fifth inning, the Tigerettes turned two double plays during the game to aid Perryman's cause.

"I thought Jacey pitched well and the defense played great. Collinwood just caught up to her in that last inning," said MCHS coach Holly Cook. "I think we got better today though. That was our goal. We wanted to get better collectively and individually. We really needed that going into Spring Break.

Kennedy Howe notched two hits and a RBI to pace the Trojanettes at the plate, while Alana Hill (1 RBI), Ashley Farmer, Katie Hanback, and Caleigh Smith each had one hit.

Marshall County left two runners on base in the top of the first inning, before Perryman worked around a one-out single by Hanback in the bottom of the second with the help of a 6-4-3 double play.

In the bottom of the third, Howe led off the inning with a single, but she was tagged out by Watkins after getting caught in a run down between second and third on a sacrifice bunt by Hill.

The Tigerettes then broke the scoreless stalemate by pushing across a run in the top of the fourth to take a 1-0 lead. After drawing a leadoff walk, Whaley advanced all the way to third on a sacrifice bunt by Mecia Reed before racing home on a Katie Crabtree RBI fielder's choice.

Marshall County tacked on another run in the top of the fifth to open up a 2-0 advantage when Moyers scored on a sacrifice fly by Whaley after MCHS had loaded the bases with one out thanks to a Moyers single, a walk by Madison Thomason, and a Collinwood error.

The Trojanettes, though, saw their bats heat up in the bottom of the fifth, as Holt led off the inning with a double prior to coming home on a Howe RBI single to cut the deficit to 2-1. Following a groundout by Taylor Pigg, Hill drove in Howe with a RBI bloop single to tie the game at 2-2. After Perryman retired Farmer on a fly out, Hill advanced to second on a passed ball before scoring on a groundball by Smith thanks to a Tigerette throwing error to give Collinwood the 3-2 win.