Lionettes eliminated

By TONY STINNETT, Courier Sports Editor

It was the game that wouldn't end.

Unfortunately, for Cannon County, it finally did and with it so did the Lionettes' softball season.

Macon County outlasted Cannon County, 6-5, in a 10-inning marathon that featured two teams competing as though they didn't want to see their season end in an elimination game of the District 8-AA softball tournament.
The Lionettes (16-18) had opportunities throughout but couldn't slam the door. Junior Kristen Hale pitched 9-2/3 innings, scattering nine hits. Only two of the six Macon County runs scored were earned as the Lionettes were guilty of five errors.

Hale almost pushed the game to the 11th inning but a two-out error in the bottom of the 10th sent Macon County home with the victory.

Three Lionettes had multi-hit games, led by Sarah Hunt's 3-for-4 effort. Cheyenne Fann was 2-for-5 with a double, and Molly Williams was 2-for-5 with a triple and run scored. Hale was 1-for-5 with a triple, two RBI and one run scored. Kallie McCrary also was 1-for-5 with a double, one RBI and one run scored. Macy Clements, Ally Parton, Livia Walker and Macy Williams each had one hit for the Lionettes, who pounded out 13 hits.

Trailing 1-0, Cannon County tied the game in the top of the third when Molly Williams tripled and scored on Livia Walker's single.

Macon County scored two in the bottom of the fourth to take a 3-1 lead but the Lionettes came back with a strong inning when they scored four in the fifth.

Fann's one-out double started the uprising. McCrary followed with a double to narrow the gap to 3-2. After Hunt singled to put runners at first and third, Hale delivered a triple to score both runs and give Cannon County a 4-3 advantage. Parton's two-out single pushed Hale plateward and extended the lead to 5-3.

Macon County came right back with two in the bottom of the frame to tie the score and then, after a flurry of activity, the scoring stopped.