by Rusty Ellis
MT. JULIET – The Gordonsville Tigerettes battled back from a 3-0 deficit in the seventh inning on Tuesday, but ultimately came up just short in a 3-2 loss against defending Class 4A Champion Green Hill.
A pitcher’s duel from the outset, Tennessee commit Kailey Plumlee got off to a strong start by recording six straight strikeouts to open the game. Green Hill struck first in the third inning however, as Emily Legrand’s two-run home run to left field broke a scoreless tie and gave the Lady Hawks a 2-0 lead.
Plumlee recorded her ninth strikeout of the game to get out of the inning with just the two runs allowed, and continued to hold the lead there until the bottom of the sixth inning. There, Maliyah Wilkins smashed a solo home run to center to push the advantage to 3-0 heading into the final frame.
Gordonsville refused to go away without a fight, as they started their seventh-inning rally with a double from Christina Ray and a single from Makenize Herron to put runners at the corners with nobody out. Laura Thompson’s pinch-hit RBI ground-out brought Ray home for the first Tigerette run of the game, and they cut further into the lead with a an RBI fielder’s choice from Abby Brinkley, making it a 3-2 ballgame.
Green Hill starter Parker Herrin closed the door from there however, as she coaxed a popup from Kaka Roberts to end the threat and nail down the 3-2 win for the Lady Hawks.
Plumlee finished the game with six innings pitched, allowing her first three runs of the season with just one walk and 14 total strikeouts.
Herron led the way at the plate with a 2-2 night, while Thompson and Brinkley accrued the only RBIs.
Gordonsville will be back in action on Thursday when they take on Clay County at home at 5:30.
