A two-run bunt single by Cayson Conner in the top of the 10th inning was the difference as Marshall County edged Caldwell County 4-2 in softball action Friday in Princeton.
The setback ended the Lady Tigers’ nine-game winning streak.
The international tiebreaker was used in extra innings, but neither side could take advantage until the 10th.
Marshall (20-13) wound up with runners at second and third with no outs in the 10th. Caldwell’s Katie Franklin struck out the next hitter. But Conner pushed a bunt between the third baseman and the pitcher. With the shortstop moving over to cover third, the bunt rolled through the infield and allowed both runners to score.
Marshall took a 1-0 lead in the first on Gracie Murt’s RBI single to right.
Caldwell (16-11) tied things in the bottom of the opening frame on Mashea Glover’s home run to center.
The Lady Marshals went up 2-1 in the fifth when Riley Piercefield drove in a run with a triple to right.
Caldwell knotted the game again when Franklin homered to left-center leading off the bottom of the sixth to make it a 2-2 contest.
That was all the scoring until Marshall plated its two runs in the 10th.
Murt and Piercefield were each 2-for-5 with an RBI for the Lady Marshals. Presley Jezik was also 2-for-5.
No one had more than one hit for Caldwell. In addition to the homers from Glover and Franklin, Allie Felker had a double.
Gabbi Lovett was the winning pitcher for Marshall. She started and finished the game, going seven innings while allowing one earned run on four base hits. Lovett stuck out one and walked one. Murt took over for three innings, giving up one earned run on two hits with three walks.
Franklin went all 10 innings for Caldwell. She surrendered three earned runs on 10 hits. Franklion fanned seven while walking four.
The Lady Tigers will next play Hopkins County Central Monday night at 7 p.m. in the semifinals of the 7th District tournament at Madisonville-North Hopkins High School.