McNairy fifth seals Dyer County’s fate, ends Choctaw softball season

 

Jason Peevyhouse

Editor, JP Productions Sports

After being shutout early, the Choctaws battled back to tie the game in the bottom of the fourth only to have McNairy Central answer with a five-run top of the fifth on the way to a 9-2 win over the orange and white in Newbern to end Dyer County’s softball season.

McNairy’s bats were alive early, getting two straight hits to open the game. But, a one-out RBI single from Chanley Steele was the only scoring the Lady Bobcats got to take a 1-0 lead after one inning.

While holding the Choctaws to just a one-out walk in the bottom of the first, Lady Bobcats were able to add a run in the top of the third as Steele reached on an error to score a run and extend the McNairy lead to 2-0 after two and a half innings.

Another 1-2-3 inning kept Dyer County off the board but the Choctaws worked around a one-out single in the top of the fourth to keep within striking distance of the Lady Bobcats.

In the bottom of the fourth, Katie Beth Caldwell drew her second walk of the game but two outs followed with Caldwell at second base. Emma Wray finally broke up Bailee Shelton’s no-hit bid with an RBI single to cut the Lady Bobcat’s lead in half. Evie Rogers and Kate Benedetto drew walks to load the bases with two outs. Rylee White came up big for the Choctaws with an RBI single to centerfield. Dyer County went for it on the same play, only to have Rogers thrown out at home to end the inning with the game tied at 2-2 after four.

McNairy’s answer was immediate and thorough. Four straight Central hits was capped by a two-run homer by Carlee Shelton to put the Lady Bobcats up 7-2 after four and a half innings.

Dyer County looked to get things going in the bottom of the fifth, getting Kierstyn Ray aboard with a one-out single. But, a liner to first doubled up the junior speedster to end the threat and the inning.

McNairy added two more in the top of the sixth to push the Lady Bobcat lead to 9-2.

The Choctaws managed a two-out single from Wray but a strikeout ended Dyer County’s threat in the sixth.

White singled with one out in the bottom of the seventh but a groundout and a strikeout ended Dyer County’s season with a seven-run loss.

Wray and White each led Dyer County with two singles and an RBI in the loss.

Dyer County’s season ends with a record of 23-12 and brings a close the careers of seniors Wray, Rylee Key and Emma McGavock.

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