Walk Off Gives Gilmer The Loss

Friday afternoon had the Gilmer Lady Cats too the field against the Sprayberry Yellow Jackets in a non-region tournament. Despite out hitting the Lackets, the Lady Cats took a loss in a last inning walk off.

The Lady Cats scored first putting one run on the board to start the game.  That one run lead wouldn’t last long as the Sprayberry Yellow Jackets added 2 quick runs in the bottom of the first to go up by a 2-1 lead after one inning of play.  The lead went back and forth with Gilmer jumping back to a one run lead by scoring two in the Lady Cats top of second.  The big hit for the Lady Cats came off the bat of Mallory Kiser. With Isabella Chastain reaching on a single and Emily Dale with a walk the stage was set for Kiser to get the Lady Cats back in front.  Gilmer added two more in the fifth for a 5-2 lead after 4 and 1/2 innings.

Sprayberry didn’t waste any time in tying the score with 3 runs of their own in the bottom of the fifth.  With a tie score and the allotted time now expired, the International Tie Breaker was put in place.  This rule states that the last out of the previous inning will be placed on second base.  This is done to encourage a faster finish to the games. The Lady Cats started the sixth with Isabella Chastain standing standing on second and no outs. Kiser at the plate hit a single moving Chastain to third were she was held.  The Lady Cats were unable to push Chastain home for a go ahead run.  The Yellow Jackets started their half with a runner on second as well.  Their runner was moved to third base on a sacrifice.  With one out and a runner on third the very next Sprayberry batter hit a fly ball that was caught allowing the runner on third to cross home for the walk off  6-5 victory

The Lady Cats are set to play game 2 on Saturday morning against the Hiram Hornets.