Caldwell County’s girls are playing their best softball of the season.
The Lady Tigers have won 11 of their last 13 games, including a 6-1 victory over fourth-ranked Christian County on Tuesday at Lady Tiger Field at the Ratliff Park Complex in Princeton.
Caldwell, now 13-10, scored six runs in the first inning and then rode the pitching of Katie Franklin to a win over the defending 2nd Region champions.
Franklin surrendered just four base hits in the contest and a single run in the top of the sixth inning. She struck out seven and walked four.
Caldwell’s first three batters all reached base and scored in the home half of the first inning.
Emma Staples was hit by a pitch leading off and promptly scored on a double to right by Mashea Glover. Glover came in on an infield single by Franklin to make it 2-0.
Madi Choate singled in another run to push the margin to 3-0. Majah Hollowell doubled off the fence in center to drive in another run to make it 4-0.
Shelby Lane then capped the big inning with a two-run single to left, giving Caldwell an early 6-0 lead in a rematch of last year’s 2nd Region championship game.
Christian (21-6) put together its best rally in the top of the sixth when Reni Shemwell and Tyler Shemwell had back-to-back singles to right to start the frame. Tenley Gilbert’s sacrifice fly to center with one out scored Remi Shemwell to get the Lady Colonels on the scoreboard.
Christian went on to load the bases with two outs on a walk and an error, but Franklin struck out the next hitter to end the threat.
Glover was the only player in the game with more than one base hit, going 2-for-3 for Caldwell with an RBI. Lane was 1-for-3 and drove in two.
Hannah Sumner was the losing pitcher for Christian but pitched well after the first inning. She gave up just six base hits while striking out two.