Coach Pitch Tigers Win Thriller in Tournament Opener

The DeKalb County Coach Pitch Tigers got their championship bid off right Friday night with a thrilling win over the Shelbyville Bronx Bombers, 17-16, behind a game winning RBI from Kora Kilgore.

The contest teetered back and forth all night, as both teams hit the ball well.  DeKalb started the game looking sharp on defense, as the Tigers retired the first two Shelbyville batters on outs to first baseman, Aiden Taylor.  Shelbyville would manage to scrape together 4 runs, however, with two outs before the Tigers could retire the side.

The Tigers’ bats would answer back in the bottom of the first, gathering 6 runs of their own, to give the Tigers the lead going into the second, 6-4.

DeKalb would allow Shelbyville to score more runs in the second, but would again answer in the bottom half of the inning to retake the lead going into the third.

Shelbyville would gain ground on the Black and White in the third, pulling out to a 16-12 lead going into the final inning before time would expire.

Coach Pete Taylor would rally his troops in the fourth, as the Tigers would hold the Bombers scoreless with the top of DeKalb’s order due up in the bottom half of the inning.

Devin Fish hit the ball hard to lead off the Tiger attack, but was called out on an extremely close play at first, before Tiger second baseman, Landon Colwell hit a screamer up the middle.  Big Aiden Taylor doubled on his at bat before DeKalb third baseman, Luke Midgett hit a ball deep to the outfield to double in both Colwell and Taylor, to narrow the Bomber lead to 16-14.

With Midgett platooned on second, Gracin South doubled, sending Midgett to third to bring Tiger pitcher, Maddox Hale to the plate representing the go ahead run.

During Hale’s at bat the umpire called time to question Hale’s bat and after a lengthy discussion decided to allow Hale to continue with a different stick.

Hale would answer all his critics with his next swing.

On the first pitch after the delay, Hale double with perhaps his hardest hit ball of the evening, deep to center field, driving in Midgett and South to tie the game at 16 all.

Peyton Guess would advance Hale to third on the next at bat but would called out on a close play at first, bringing up Kora Kilgore representing DeKalb’s last hope.

She wouldn’t disappoint.

Kilgore beat out a throw to first to single and score DeKalb’s winning run to give DeKalb the victory, 17-16 and send a collective roar from the Black and White Faithful.

DeKalb will play two game Saturday, at 1:00pm and again at 6:00pm.  Everyone is encouraged to attend.