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By Brandon Sumrall | Special to the Advertiser

Despite a mid-game lead against the visiting Shelby County Wildcats, the Chilton County Lady Tigers failed to hold off a late rally in a 8-4 losing effort on March 6.

Both teams managed to put runners aboard but came away with nothing to show for them in the first inning, but the Tigers went to work in the home half of the second inning.

Morgan Dennis started the inning with a leadoff single and after a sacrifice bunt by Emmy Easterling, a bunt by Destinee Scott gave the Lady Tigers two on with one out.

A two-RBI single by Hallie Ousley gave the Lady Tigers a 2-0 lead.

The Tigers added two more runs on a RBI triple by Brianna Connell that scored Caelyn Griffin and a sacrifice bunt by Dennis that scored Connell to give Chilton a 4-0 lead after three innings of play.

The Wildcats cut the Tigers lead in half in the top of the fourth inning on a solo home run by Katelyn Lucas and a RBI single by Laken Wells that would made the score 4-2 in favor of the Tigers.

After a scoreless bottom of the fourth, the Wildcats tacked on two more in the top of the fifth, with a two-run home run by Per Clark that tied the game at four-all.

With the Tigers unable to advance two early base runners in the home half of the inning, the Wildcats kept their two run per inning pace going with two more runs in the top of the sixth on a pair of RBI doubles by Ashlyn Blankenship and Lauren Carter that swung the lead in favor of Shelby County, 6-4.

Another scoreless inning for Chilton County in the bottom of the sixth, allowed the Wildcats to advance their lead farther in the top of the seventh, when Lucas hit her second home run of the game and Alexandria Reed scored on a infield ground ball to make the score 8-4.

A leadoff ground ball knocked the Tigers down to their final two outs, but a Wildcats error along with a single and a walk would give Chilton hope.

However, an infield ground ball resulted in a force out at the plate and another ground ball and relay to second signaled the end of the game.

Connell led the Tigers at the plate with a 2-for-4 performance with a single, triple and RBI.

Connell also handled the pitching for the Tigers and pitched a complete game with seven earned runs, on 13 hits, with three walks, and four strikeouts.

Lucas led the Wildcats with a 2-for-3 performance at the plate with two homeruns, and two RBIs. Reed pitched a complete game for Shelby County with four earned runs, nine hits and three walks.