DMS Lady Tigers win in extra innings

The Demopolis Middle School Lady Tigers (5-5) got timely hitting late to pick up an 8-7 extra-inning win over Hale County Monday night.

The decisive blow came in the eighth inning when Abbey Latham hit the first pitch she saw into right center field to plate Ashley Brooks from third to end the game in walk-off fashion. Brooks opened the inning on second base as the frame was being played under International Tie Breaker rules.

The Lady Tigers preserved the 7-7 tie in the top of the eighth when Natalie Tatum battled out of a bases-loaded, nobody-out jam by striking out two batters and inducing a grounder from a third.

Demopolis scored three runs in each of the first two innings to mount an early lead. However, costly errors in the sixth and seventh innings helped Hale County to hang three runs on the board in each frame and take a 7-6 lead.

The Lady Tigers erased the brief deficit when Lara Little stroked an opposite field triple to plate McKenzie Walker.

Demopolis opened the scoring in the home half of the first when leadoff walks to Macey Petrey and Latham allowed a bunt single from Courtney Smith to plate the first run of the game. As Hale County players neglected to field the ball, Latham took advantage of the confusion and scored on the play while Smith made her way all the way around to third. Smith later scored on a wild pitch.

Mary-Michael Bradley drew a one-out walk in the top of the second before pushing the score to 4-0 on a triple by Petrey. After Petrey scored on a passed ball, Latham walked, moved to second on a wild pitch, stole third and scored on another passed ball to leave the Lady Tigers up 6-0.

Demopolis would go hitless in three of the next four innings, missing out on its best scoring opportunity in the bottom of the fourth when it loaded the bases with only one out.

Tatum picked up the win for DMS, striking out eight batters over eight innings and hurling 146 pitches just two days after the Lady Tigers completed a tournament that saw them play six games in a span of approximately 30 hours.

Petrey finished 2-for-4 with a triple, two runs scored, one run batted in and two walks. Latham finished 1-for-2 with one RBI, two runs scored and three walks. Smith went 2-for-3 with a walk and a RBI. Little finished 2-for-4 with a triple and a run batted in.

The Lady Tigers are scheduled to play again Thursday on the road at American Christian Academy.