The Marshall County Tigerettes had one big inning on offense and Grace Medley had seven solid innings in the circle as Lewisburg beat the Lewis County Lady Panthers 4-3 Friday night at Reese Hambrick Field to take over first place in the District 12-AA standings.

"Any time Lewis County comes to town we know they are a tough, gritty team and we are always going to expect a good game out of them," said MCHS head coach Holly Cook. "I expected to hit her (Bass) a little better, but obviously, like I told the girls, any time you can get a win over Lewis County, I'll take it."

Top of the heap

With the win, MCHS (8-4, 6-1) edged to the top of the district standings, one game clear of Lewis County (9-4, 5-2) and East Hickman (10-13-1, 4-2).

Medley gave up three earned runs on seven hits in the complete game win, while walking four and striking out three girls from Hohenwald.

In the 21 outs recorded by Marshall County in the contest, Medley was able to induce 16 ground ball outs, one pop-up to Ashton Watkins at shortstop and one fly ball to Morgan Moyers in center field.

"I like when the defense has to work, I like those kind of ballgames," said Cook. "It makes up get better, people are going to hit, so we have to make the plays."

Few hits

The Tigerettes' offense managed only five hits in game with Watkins going 2-3, including a bust open, two-run double in the bottom of fifth inning.

Austyn Whaley also had two in three at bats with an RBI, Mary Kate McGehee had one hit that ended up in a run scored, and Makenzie Jo Anderson had a big sacrifice fly that put MCHS in front 2-1.

Lewis County scored one unearned run on zero hits in a sloppy first inning on defense for the Tigerettes.

The only hit for MCHS over the first two innings came via a Whaley triple in the second inning and Medley worked her way out of a two-on, two-out jam in the top of the third on the inning ending fly ball to Moyers.

The Tigerettes threatened in the home half of the fourth inning, but Lewis County hurler Bethaney Bass escaped on a fly ball to Kayle Schmittou in center field.

Key inning

Medley sent the game to the pivotal bottom of the fifth where McGehee started things off with a one-out single.

Allison Sheroski came in to run for McGehee before Moyers drew a 3-2 walk.

Madison Thomason hit ground ball to short, but the throw to get Sheroski at third hit the freshman base runner, making it bases jammed full of Tigerettes.

Whaley broke the MCHS scoring drought with a single to center and Anderson followed with the go-ahead sac fly to deep right field.

Watkins came up and drilled a gapper to the fence in left, scoring Thomason and Whaley before the inning ended on a ground ball out.

In the visitors' sixth, Lewis County mounted a comeback, cutting the MCHS lead to 4-2 on an RBI single by Schmittou.

Close call

The Tigerettes did not score in the bottom of the sixth and in the top of the seventh, Leanne Amacher creamed a leadoff homerun for Lewis County, making it a one-run game at 4-3.

Medley got a ground ball and a pop-up before a Lewis County base hit extended the game.

A ground ball to Mecia Reed at second and a toss to Katie Crabtree on the first base sack gave Medley and the Tigerettes the district lead.

"We are definitely getting more confidence," said Cook. "I told the girls at the beginning of the season that I think a lot of people doubted us because we had lost so many players last year, but I knew we were going to come right back and I think people are beginning to see that we are that same Marshall County team."